BEAUMONT, Texas – Looking to get back on track in conference play, Lamar University volleyball returns to McDonald Gym this week and prepares for back-to-back home matches against the Southland's two extremes. They face off against league-leading Southeastern Louisiana on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and square off with New Orleans on Saturday at 1 p.m. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Lamar (10-8, 2-4 SLC) fell at home to Stephen F. Austin in straight sets on Tuesday night before coming up short in a thrilling five-set defeat on the road at Houston Christian on Saturday afternoon.


KEY STORYLINES
The match against the Huskies will feel like one the Cardinals wish they could have back. After taking a 2-1 lead after three back-and-forth sets, Big Red got outscored 40-23 down the stretch in the final two frames with attack errors proving costly late.
 
As a young team, the Cardinals are having to learn quickly from experiences like this to keep up the positive momentum they built early in the season. So far this year, Lamar is one of the seven Division I programs where freshmen have accounted for more than half of the team's points.
 
Three of Lamar's four losses in Southland play are to teams in the top four of the conference standings. The schedule should be more favorable for Big Red moving forward as after Thursday's clash with SLU, Lamar will only face two such opponents the rest of the way.
 
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Maja Malinowska continues to do it all for Lamar this season. She leads the Cardinals in kills (3.86/set) while ranking second in digs (3.38/set). She also ranks third and ninth in the Southland in these categories, respectively.
 
Emily Moon has stepped up as a defensive threat for the Cardinals in her sophomore campaign. She has recorded multiple blocks in three conference contests this season after doing so in just one match last year.
 
The consistency of Alexa Gonzalez in the setter role will be a factor for Big Red as conference play carries on. Gonzalez is averaging 8.30 assists/set over six conference matches while also contributing 0.40 aces/set in that span.
 
OPPONENT INFO: Southeastern Louisiana (15-4, 7-0 SLC)
Time: Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
Series Record: LU 30-15
Last Meeting: SLU 3-0 (9/26/24)
 
The Cardinals will look to avenge their loss a few weeks ago against the league-leading Lions who enter this contest on a 15-match win streak including nine sweeps. Opponents have struggled against SLU as of late with the Lions leading the Southland in blocks (2.62/set), opponent hitting percentage (.146), opponent assists (9.90/set) and opponent kills (10.60/set). India Bennett has been an elite defensive force this season leading the conference in blocks (1.39/set) and hitting percentage (.403) while Keira Beverly ranks second on that front (.355).
 
OPPONENT INFO: New Orleans (2-17, 0-7 SLC)
Time: Saturday at 1 p.m.
Series Record: LU 31-22
Last Meeting: LU 3-0 (9/28/24)
 
The Privateers have struggled as of late entering this week on a 12-match losing streak having not won a set in their last nine games. One of those losses came at the hands of Lamar who swept UNO on the road back on Sept. 28. UNO ranks last in the Southland in most offensive categories and will likely rely on Chelsea Roundtree (2.17 kills/set) and Chelsea Daffin (2.11 kills/set) for points Saturday.