MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The winning ways for Lamar University volleyball continued Friday with a pair of sweeps over Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Memphis in the Bluff City Showdown. Today marked the first back-to-back sweeps for Lamar since 2019 while the current win streak on five for the Cardinals is the team's longest since 2008.
 
The Cardinals finished Game 1 hitting 48-15-109 (.303) from the floor, the team's highest mark since their opening match in 2021, while also recording eight aces and six blocks. Maja Malinowska led the team with 15 kills while Keeley Nellis tacked on 14 digs.
 
Lamar hit 42-12-137 (.219) in Game 2 with nine blocks while taking advantage of 27 attacking errors from Memphis. Malinowska added 15 kills to her daily tally while also tallying 12 digs for her fourth double-double of the season. Nellis held the team lead in digs with 18 while Annie Cathey chipped in four blocks.
 
The Cardinals finish out the Bluff City Showdown against Indiana State at 11 a.m. tomorrow morning.
 
Game 1: Lamar 3, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-14)
 
The two teams were knotted at nine in the first set before a 10-4 run gave Lamar some cushion. Big Red then held on for the victory with six Cardinals recording kills led by Malinowska with five.
 
Lamar extended their momentum into the second set jumping out to a seven-point lead, but a quick 8-1 run from the Golden Lions would tie things back up at 16. The Cardinals finished strong, however, scoring four of the last five points to take the set.
 
Big Red again jumped out to an early lead in Set 3, but this time, they maintained it throughout never once trailing in the frame. Another five kills from Malinowska and three aces from Ashlyn Gamble helped buoy their efforts.
 
Game 2: Lamar 3, Memphis 0 (26-24, 25-19, 26-24)
 
The first set was a back-and-forth affair with 12 ties and six lead changes. The Cardinals would end up prevailing scoring four of the last five points in the set including three from kills by Malinowska as 13 attacking errors came back to bite the Tigers.
 
Big Red took the early advantage in Set 2 and made the most of it as they never trailed in the set. Key kills from Malinowska and Lyric Jordan ensured the Cardinal lead was never in jeopardy.
 
It was the Tigers who get out to an early lead in the third set leading by as much as four, but the Cardinals clawed back and made it tight late. Nine digs from Nellis and five kills from Emily Moon would help to seal the deal and make it five in a row for Lamar.