BEAUMONT, Texas – After trailing early by two sets, Lamar University volleyball fought back and earned a season-defining victory over Nicholls on Thursday night, 3-2 (22-25, 13-25, 25-21, 25-23, 15-9). This victory helped to inch the Cardinals closer to a postseason berth with three pivotal matches still remaining.
 
Lamar (13-12, 5-8 SLC) hit 54-12-161 (.261) on the evening with three aces and 11 blocks. Maja Malinowska posted her 11^th double-double of the season with a team-high 16 kills and 15 digs. Lyric Jordan recorded 15 kills and three blocks while Keeley Nellis led the team with 24 digs.
 
Nicholls (7-17, 2-11 SLC) finished the match with a hitting percentage of 17.7 percent (65-33-181). The Colonels were let down by 33 attacking errors and ten service errors.
 
The Cardinals boasted a three-point lead in the first set heading into the media timeout, but a five-point swing from the Colonels then prompted one of their own. Both teams traded points from there as Lamar was never able to force a tie resulting in Nicholls winning the frame.
 
The visitors came out on fire in the second set taking an early 15-5 lead which forced both timeout from Big Red. The hosts failed to cut the deficit to less than five the rest of the way as Nicholls used eight aces to build a commanding 2-0 advantage.
 
Both teams traded points early on in Set 3 before an 8-2 run pushed the Cardinals in front by five midway through the frame. Lamar maintained that lead behind five kills and a key block from Jordan late.
 
Set 4 was a wild affair featuring 12 ties and five lead changes. A 6-2 Colonel start was immediately answered by an 8-3 Cardinal run prompted by two aces from Alexa Gonzalez. Both teams jockeyed for position late before Big Red reeled off four of the final five points to force a fifth set.
 
After trading the first four points, the Cardinals emerged and took over the rest of the fifth set. Hitting .500 in the frame buoyed by four kills from Malinowska, they never trailed and completed a thrilling comeback in front of their home crowd.

Lamar finishes their home slate this season against rivals McNeese on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. Senior Freedom Stephenson will be recognized after her final match at McDonald Gym. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.