BEAUMONT, Texas – After three weekends away from home, Lamar University volleyball returns McDonald Gym for their home opener against Prairie View A&M on Tuesday at 6 p.m. They then head to I-45 for the Bearkat Classic which features matches against hosts Sam Houston (Friday at 6:30 p.m.) and Texas Southern (Saturday at 10 a.m.). The matches against PVAMU and SHSU will be streamed on ESPN+.
LAST TIME OUT
Lamar secured a 2-1 weekend at the Bluff City Showdown in Memphis, Tenn. The trip was highlighted by back-to-back sweeps on Friday against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and hosts Memphis before the team fell in their finale against Indiana State.
KEY STORYLINES
After an 0-3 start, the Cardinals responded with a five-game winning streak losing only two sets in that time. The streak was the longest for the program since 2008, a season which ended in a conference championship and NCAA tournament berth.
The growth from last season is evident and backed up in numerous statistical categories. After ranking towards the bottom of the conference in points/set (ninth), kills/set (last) and assists/set (last), the Cardinals now lead the Southland in points/set (16.83) while ranking second in kills/set (13.03) and assists/set (12.17).
Head coach Ariel Apolinario has quickly turned things around in his first year in Beaumont and has experimented with various rotations early in the season as 14 different players saw the court. Only one player has played in all 30 sets the team has played this year as the Cardinals look to establish an identity before conference play.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Maja Malinowska has been a force for Big Red since joining the squad after representing the Polish national team at U20 European Championships. This past weekend, she was not only named MVP of the Bluff City Showdown but also earned an Offensive Player of the Week nod from the Southland Conference, the first for a Cardinal player since 2017.
Alexa Gonzalez and
Keeley Nellis were also a part of the trio of Lamar freshmen to make the all-tournament teams from this past weekend. Gonzalez averaged 10.67 assists/set contributing seven digs against Memphis and five blocks against Indiana State while Nellis averaged 5.44 digs/set including 18 in the team's sweep over Memphis.
Annie Cathey enjoyed her best weekend as a Cardinal as well in the middle blocker role. She compiled 11 blocks during the tournament while recording a career-high nine kills against Indiana State.
OPPONENT INFO: Prairie View A&M (2-8)
Time: Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Series Record: LU 25-1
Last Meeting: LU 3-0 (9/3/24)
The home opener for the Cardinals will be the back leg of a home-and-home with the Panthers. Lamar already swept PVAMU on the road in three tightly contested sets including two that needed extra points to decide. Since the two last played, PVAMU picked up their first two wins of the season including one against Southland opponent Texas A&M-Commerce in their last match. The Panthers will be happy to have Janyah Henderson, the reigning Southwestern Athletic Conference freshman of the year, back from injury this time around.
OPPONENT INFO: Sam Houston (4-5)
Time: Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Series Record: SHSU 56-37
Last Meeting: SHSU 3-0 (10/30/21)
The Bearkats were picked tenth in the preseason Conference USA poll and enter this game fresh off a 1-2 campaign at the Roadrunner Classic in San Antonio. Hannah Baker leads the charge for SHSU as she leads C-USA in digs/set (4.88) while Avery Fowler ranks third in C-USA in assists/set (9.30) and fifth in aces/set (0.45).
OPPONENT INFO: Texas Southern (0-9)
Time: Saturday at 10 a.m.
Series Record: LU 13-1
Last Meeting: LU 3-0 (9/10/22)
The Tigers head to Huntsville looking for answers as they find themselves on an 11-game winless streak dating back to last season. Kennedi Walker ranks third in the SWAC in assists/set (5.87) while Angelika Rusin mirrors that in digs/set (3.70).
