BEAUMONT, Texas – After a tough opening week of Southland Conference play for the Lamar University volleyball team, the Cardinals will be forced to step it up a notch as Big Red prepares for three matches over the course of the next five days. The Cardinals (6-7/0-2 Southland) will open the week with a trip to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Tuesday/6:30 p.m.) before return home to host Houston Christian (Thursday/6 p.m.) followed by UIW (Saturday/10 a.m.).
 
After having won five of six, the Cardinals enter the week looking to put an end to a small three-match slide after opening SLC play with setbacks to Northwestern State and Texas A&M-Commerce. The Cards are one of two league teams still looking for their first conference win of the season but sit just a win back of five other teams in the standings.
 
The Cardinals' next three opponents all sit along the conference spectrum at different spots. A&M-Corpus Christi has won just one match on the season, but that win came in league play. The Islanders are currently 1-15 (.062) overall with their one win being a 3-0 decision over New Orleans. HCU is the league's last remaining undefeated team with a 10-5/2-0 SLC record. The Huskies enter the week having won three of their past four matches.
 
Big Red closes out the week with a Saturday morning contest against the Southland's other Cardinals. UIW (1-11/0-2 SLC) is also looking for its first conference win of the season. San Antonio's version of the Cardinals have dropped 11 straight since a season-opening victory against Texas Southern.