BEAUMONT, Texas – After notching their first win under head coach Ariel Apolinario, Lamar University volleyball looks to carry that momentum into their Friday doubleheader as they travel to Thibodaux, La. for a pair of matches against Grambling (11 a.m.) and Nicholls (2 p.m.).
 
LAST TIME OUT
Lamar lost its first three games during an opening weekend tournament at Norfolk State. The team then returned to Texas and picked up a road sweep at Prairie View A&M on Tuesday in three hard-fought sets.
 
KEY STORYLINES
Tuesday's victory marked Apolinario's 100^th career win as a head coach and first at the NCAA level. He arrived in Beaumont after four successful seasons at Navarro College where he built the Bulldogs into an NJCAA power.
 
Apolinario has spent the first few matches figuring out rotations and managing minutes for a youthful Cardinal squad which features eight sophomores and eight freshmen. Across 13 sets so far this season, Big Red have utilized nine different starting lineups as players look to prove their abilities on the court.
 
This weekend's fixtures have deviated from the original schedule with the team's original tournament plans at Mississippi Valley State being cancelled earlier this week. The Cardinals will instead take on two familiar foes including conference foe Nicholls in what will be a nonconference affair.
 
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Lyric Jordan has started out the season with four consecutive double-digit kill performances which ties her longest streak from last year. She recorded a career-high 24 kills against Gardner-Webb which earned her a spot on the all-tournament team last weekend.
 
Maja Malinowska is making a name for herself as a freshman with back-to-back double-doubles in her last two matches. Against Gardner-Webb, she racked up 11 kills with 20 digs and four blocks while chipping in 12 kills and ten digs at Prairie View.
 
Two other freshmen have been featured in every set for the Cardinals at two key positions. Keeley Nellis has emerged in the libero role with a team-high 4.00 digs/set while the setter position has been held down by Alexa Gonzalez who is averaging 9.69 assists/set through four matches.
 
OPPONENT INFO: Grambling
Time: Friday at 11 a.m.
Series Record: LU 3-1
Last Meeting: Grambling 3-0 (9/8/23)
 
The Tigers finished last season with a 10-20 record and were projected seventh in the SWAC preseason poll for this year. They enter this weekend with a similar season resume to the Cardinals as they dropped their first three games in an opening weekend tournament at Alabama but rebounded with a win over Centenary College on Tuesday.
 
OPPONENT INFO: Nicholls
Time: Friday at 2 p.m.
Series Record: LU 32-14
Last Meeting: LU 3-1 (11/4/23)
 
Lamar experienced success against the Colonels last season with two wins in conference play. Nicholls is projected last in the Southland preseason poll for this season after a 4-27 campaign last year. They are off to a 2-1 start, however, with wins over South Carolina State and Louisiana-Monroe.