BEAUMONT, Texas - Returning home after a two-game road trip, Lamar University (8-12, 3-7 SLC) will host a Cardinal on Cardinal battle on Halloween. LU will face the University of Incarnate Word (5-19, 1-9 SLC) at McDonald Gym and on Facebook Live at 7 p.m.

Lamar vs. UIW - Thursday, October 31 at 7 p.m. - McDonald Gym

The "other" Cardinals of the Southland Conference had been winless against SLC opponents in their first eight attempts, but a 3-1 victory over the University of New Orleans at home on Oct. 24 snapped that streak. A three-set loss to Southeastern Louisiana on Oct. 26 is the most recent outing for UIW.

Lamar split its two matches against UIW last season, taking a four-set win over the "other" Cards on Sept. 25 and losing in three sets at UIW on Nov. 1.

Samantha Dabbs-Thomas is in her second season at UIW and is 15-36 in that time with an 8-18 mark against SLC opponents. The San Antonio, Texas, native came to UIW from the University of North Florida.

As a team UIW ranks sixth in hitting percentage, 12th in assists, 12th in kills, 10th in blocks, sixth in service aces, and 13th in digs. UIW is allowing a 13th ranked opponent hitting percentage, a ninth-ranked opponents assists, an 11th ranked opponents kills, the seventh-most blocks per set to opponents, the most opponent aces, and the second fewest opponent digs.

Julia Monday leads her team in kills per set (sixth, 3.32) and hitting percentage (sixth, .350), and Presley Blaylock is averaging 7.12 assists per set, eighth-most in the SLC.

The Last Time Out

Fighting back from an early deficit, Lamar University came up just short at Houston Baptist University (13-12, 5-5 SLC) last Saturday.

Dannisha House led the attack for the Cardinals with 11 kills, and her defensive prowess was also on display with four blocks. Annika Slovak had 28 assists, and Erin Pequeno had 14 digs.

Up Next

A three-game home stand will open November with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (fourth, 7-3 SLC), New Orleans (ninth, 4-7 SLC), and Southeastern Louisiana (sixth, 6-5 SLC) coming to town. Road matches at Stephen F. Austin (first, 10-0 SLC) and Abilene Christian (11th, 3-8 SLC) will close the regular season.