NEW ORLEANS - Taking the first set but stumbling a bit in each of the next three, Lamar University (5-6, 0-1 SLC) fell just short Tuesday in a four-set loss to the University of New Orleans. LU's volleyball team led in each set but couldn't hold on through Privateer runs.

A .286 hitting percentage for Big Red against a measly .138 for UNO helped Lamar stay in front of the Privateers through most of the set, though New Orleans did manage to tie the game once and even briefly take the lead on its first big run of the night. Lamar weathered the first Privateer attack though thanks to tremendous serving by Annika Slovak and a kill by Abigale Nash, taking the final four points of the set to win 25-17.

The Cardinals opened the second set with an early 7-4 lead, but an unforced error by LU led to a big momentum shift. UNO took 11 of the next 14 points and led 15-10, and though LU snapped with a block by Malaysia Murdock and an ace by Slovak, UNO would still take two points for every one by the Cards. Bad execution by the Privateers allowed Lamar to climb back in it late, but UNO held on to win the set 25-20.

An attack percentage of .077 in the third set proved hard to overcome for the Cards, and errors in serving and ball handling made it even tougher for LU to climb back into the match. New Orleans opened the set with a 9-4 run, but Big Red briefly fought back with a 3-0 run fueled by a Privateer error, a Nash kill, and an ace by Dannisha House. UNO called a stoppage in play to attempt to cool off the Cardinal attack, and that led to a 6-0 run by New Orleans for a 15-7 led over Lamar. LU and UNO would trade points for the rest of the set but the Privateers remained in control, taking the game 25-17.

LU was scrappy through most of the final frame, coming within a point of UNO at 12-11, again at 14-13, and finally at 15-14, but a few small runs put LU out of reach, and UNO again took the set by a score of 25-17, claiming the win in four sets with a 5-1 run to end the match.

House led LU in kills with nine and poured in two blocks and two aces for a total of 12 points, and Nash had eight kills and nine digs, coming just short of her eighth double-double on the year. Erin Pequeno had 18 digs, and Slovak had 31 assists as the primary setter.

LU returns to action on Saturday with another SLC road match, taking on Southeastern Louisiana (5-9, 0-1 SLC) before heading home to host Stephen F. Austin (12-1, 0-0 SLC) on Oct. 3.

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