BEAUMONT, Texas – Having reached the halfway mark of their conference slate, Lamar University volleyball charges forward with two matches this week as they look to stay on course for postseason play. They travel north to face off against Stephen F. Austin on Tuesday at 6 p.m. before returning to McDonald Gym to take on Northwestern State on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Lamar split their two home contests last week as they fell to league-leading Southeastern Louisiana on Thursday evening before getting back on track with a win over New Orleans on Saturday afternoon.
 
KEY STORYLINES
The performance against the Privateers was the best for the Cardinals in conference play this season. They finished with no attacking errors in the opening set and a .258 hitting percentage overall while also posting season-highs in aces (17) and blocks (12).
 
Service continues to be a mixed bag for Big Red this season. The Cardinals lead the Southland in aces (1.75/set) with Keeley Nellis, Alexa Gonzalez and Taisha Rhone all ranking in the top ten individually in the conference. However, service errors still haunt the team with nine double-digit totals on the year.
 
With only eight games remaining in the regular season, every match count towards Lamar's hopes of postseason play. Of their last eight opponents, five are currently below the Cardinals in the Southland standings lining up a favorable stretch for LU to end the year.
 
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Lyric Jordan recorded her 500^th kill as a Cardinal against the Privateers on Saturday. On the season, she ranks ninth in the conference in kills (3.43/set) which is also good for second on the team.
 
Ashlyn Gamble continues to emerge as a defensive force for the Cardinals. She leads the team in blocks and ranks eighth in conference play (1.04/set) including a career-high six blocks against UNO on Saturday.
 
Hailey McEllrath has started to get some playing time at the middle blocker position over the last two games. Over four sets, she chipped in three blocks and three kills in her first playing opportunities in Southland play.
 
OPPONENT INFO: Stephen F. Austin (15-6, 7-1 SLC)
Time: Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Series Record: SFA 41-30
Last Meeting: SFA 3-0 (10/8/24)
 
The Ladyjacks are coming off a heartbreaking home defeat at the hands of Southeastern Louisiana in a battle for first place in the conference snapping a 35-game home winning streak which was the longest in the country. The Cardinals will look for their first win in Nacogdoches since 2008 and first in the series since 2012.
 
Kyanna Creecy has been a defensive force for SFA ranking second in conference play in blocks (1.41/set) and third in hitting percentage (.402). Izabella Ortiz also has made a name for herself at the net ranking seventh in blocks (1.10/set) and second in hitting percentage (.466) against Southland opponents.
 
OPPONENT INFO: Northwestern State (6-10, 1-6 SLC)
Time: Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
Series Record: LU 25-20
Last Meeting: NSU 3-0 (10/26/23)
 
Big Red look to end a five-game slide against the Lady Demons who enter this contest on a five-game losing streak. NSU is led by Reaghan Thompson, who ranks seventh in the Southland in kills (3.51/set), and Deja Benjamin, who ranks second in blocks (1.32/set) and third in hitting percentage (.366).