BEAUMONT, Texas - Returning home after a week on the road, Lamar University (6-10, 1-5 SLC) will continue its Southland Conference campaign this weekend by hosting two teams on opposite ends of the conference spectrum. The University of Central Arkansas (8-11, 2-4 SLC) will come to town on Thursday, and Nicholls State University (10-7, 4-2 SLC) will be in McDonald Gym on Saturday.

Lamar vs. Central Arkansas - Thursday, October 17 at 7 p.m. - McDonald Gym

UCA will host Northwestern State University on Tuesday before heading to Lamar, and currently holds five-set wins against McNeese and Incarnate Word and losses to Houston Baptist, Sam Houston State, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and New Orleans.

Jeni Jones Chatman has been the head of the program since January of 2015 and is 93-50 overall in that time including a 50-20 mark against SLC opponents. She led the Sugar Bears to an SLC tournament title and an NCAA appearance in the 2017 season.

Central Arkansas ranks fourth in the league in team hitting percentage, and their 11.81 assists per game are the sixth-best mark in the SLC. The Sugar Bears are averaging 12.89 kills a set, the fifth-best conference average, but their digs per set (13.63, 11th), service aces (1.15 per set, 10th), and blocks per set (1.70) are among the lowest in the Southland.

Madi Bowles and Abbie Harry are a dangerous 1-2 punch for the Sugar Bears with Bowles averaging 3.26 kills a set on a .434 hitting percentage and Harry averaging 3.85 kills a set, and Emily Doss is digging an average of 4.19 times a set, the fifth-best mark among SLC student-athletes. Bailey Waddington has 162 assists this year in SLC play, averaging 6.00 per set.

Lamar vs. Nicholls - Saturday, October 19 at 1 p.m. - McDonald Gym

Nicholls is just three sets away from having an undefeated run through this portion of the SLC season with a four-set loss at New Orleans and a narrow five-set loss to Southeastern at home. The Colonels beat McNeese, won at Houston Baptist, and took down ACU and UIW at home. Undefeated Stephen F. Austin will provide a real test for the Colonels when the Lady Jacks host Nicholls on Thursday.

Kallie Noble is in her first season as the head coach of the Colonels.

Nicholls isn't a standout in any SLC stats category except in opponents' assists - the Colonels are second in the league with just 10.70 assists per set allowed. That trails only SFA. Nicholls is ninth in team hitting percentage, eighth in assists, eighth in kills, sixth in blocks, eighth in aces, and fifth in digs.

Meghan Wozniak is one of the best setters in the league, averaging 9.07 assists per set for a toal of 245 in SLC play. She ranks third behind Madison Rohre of ACU and Morgan Dewyer of HBU. Emily Gauthreaux is averaging 3.16 kills a set, the ninth-highest SLC average, and has 15 service aces in SLC play, tied for the most in the league. Kate Hoerdemann has 3.93 digs a set, the eighth-best SLC mark.

The Last Time Out - at Sam Houston State - Saturday, October 12

Facing an undefeated team away from the friendly confines of McDonald Gym, Lamar University put up a fight in their match at Sam Houston State. The Cardinals (6-10, 1-5 SLC) stayed within striking distance of the Bearkats (9-8, 5-0 SLC) in each set but ultimately fell just short, losing a three-set decision.

Dannisha House led with 12 kills and was followed by Malaysia Murdock and Kaitlyn Gil with five apiece. Gil hit .420 in the match with no errors on 12 attempts. Erin Pequeno had an impressive 22 digs and was joined in double digit digs by Abigale Nash (16 digs) and Alyssa Legette (13 digs). Legette was the primary setter on Saturday and had 33 assists in that role.

Up Next

The second half of the conference slate will begin Oct. 22 at McNeese (8-10, 1-5 SLC), and another road match at Houston Baptist (11-10, 3-3 SLC) will precede a four-game home stand for Lamar against UIW (4-16, 0-6 SLC), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (10-9, 3-3 SLC), New Orleans (10-10, 3-3 SLC), and Southeastern Louisiana (8-11, 3-3 SLC).