BEAUMONT, Texas - Lamar University opens its final home week of the 2019 volleyball season this Tuesday when the University of New Orleans comes to town. A win by the Cardinals (8-14, 3-9 SLC) over the Privateers (11-15, 4-8 SLC) could move Lamar into a four-way tie for the final spot in the 2019 Southland Conference tournament.

Lamar vs. New Orleans - Tuesday, November 5 at 7 p.m. - McDonald Gym

New Orleans started off the season as one of the hottest teams in the conference, winning its first two matches. Since then the Privateers have just two wins and eight losses, and currently sit in a tie for eighth place with a 4-8 SLC mark.

Lamar holds a 27-17 advantage over UNO in the series history, but so far New Orleans has bragging rights this season with a four-set decision over Big Red on Sept. 24.

Millicent Van Norden is 65-115 at this point of her sixth season at UNO.

New Orleans ranks dead last in hitting percentage and assists and is 10th in kills and 11th in digs. They are a stingy defensive team though; opponents are averaging fewer kills and assists against the Privateers than any other SLC team.

Brianna Vega continues to be a force in serving with an average of 0.44 aces per set in conference play, and Ehize Omoghibo is tied for the ninth-most kills per set in the SLC (3.13). Lucie Pokorna is averaging 8.27 assists per set, and Shelby Pullins is basically a wall in the middle with 1.19 blocks a set, the third-best mark in the league.

The Last Time Out - Texas A&M-Corpus Christi - Saturday, November 2 at 1 p.m.

Running away with the first set, Lamar University (8-14, 3-9 SLC) couldn't hold on Saturday against Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (16-9, 9-3 SLC). The Cardinals fell in four sets to the Islanders.
 
Abigale Nash led in kills for Lamar with 14 kills and earned her 13th double-double on the year with 11 digs. Annika Slovak also had a double-double with 36 assists and 10 digs. Dannisha House reached 10 kills and had a block, and Malaysia Murdock added in another eight kills. Erin Pequeno totaled 11 digs.

Up Next

The Cards have just one match left at home this year with Southeastern Louisiana coming to town November 9 at 1 p.m. for Lamar's Senior Night. The 2019 regular season campaign will draw to a close Nov. 14 at Stephen F. Austin and Nov. 16 at Abilene Christian.