BEAUMONT, Texas — After dropping the first set, the Lamar University volleyball team persevered and regrouped to triumph over the University of Incarnate Word in four sets, 13-25, 25-23, 26-24, 25-23, Thursday night at the McDonald Gym.

It was LU's first win over UIW since Sept. 25, 2018. UIW had won the last eight meetings.

LU is now one game out of second place in the Southland Conference standings.

Meanwhile, Gabby Baker continues to make history as she entered the top 10 in the program's record book for digs in a season.

"It was a good night. I'm very pleased with the effort," said head coach Ariel Apolinario. "I thought we did a great job at catching up just enough to be right there at the end.

"Once we got to the red zone, I thought that we scored some big points, especially in transition, that set us apart."

LU held the lead twice in the early stages of the opening set before UIW surged its way to a six-point lead after going on a 5-0 run.

UIW closed out the set with a 6-0 run to win by 12 points.

LU had trailed by as much as six points in the middle of the second set before it chipped away and later used a 4-0 run to take a one-point lead.

Taisha Rhone had two kills while Alexa Gonzalez had one on a sneak attack while Keeley Nellis served up an ace during the run.

LU kept pushing forward as it led 23-21 after a kill by Maja Malinowska and a solo block from Daniella Udegbunam.

UIW came back to tie the score up.

Malinowska and Rhone closed out the set with a pair of kills to tie up the match at one-all.

LU trailed by six in the third set before it outscored UIW, 7-1, to take a one-point lead.

UIW then outscored LU, 5-1, to be one point away from taking the set.

Rhone nailed down three straight kills to spark a 6-0 run that was capped off by a set point that came in the form of a kill by Hailey McEllrath to give LU a 2-1 lead.

In the fourth set, it was LU this time that came out hot, leading by five after another kill from Malinowska.

UIW inched its way back into the game, tying the score at 14-all after outscoring LU, 4-1.

LU was able to regain the lead as it outscored UIW, 4-1.

On the brink of notching the match point with a 24-19 lead, UIW fought all the way back as it used a 4-0 run to get within one point.

Rhone answered with the match point as she slammed down the final kill of the night.

"I hope that today was that step that we needed to get over that hump. I like where we are," added Apolinario. "We were so scrappy. I think that we're taking the right steps.

"I think that if we continue putting the pieces together, we will be able to give ourselves a chance at the end of the year."

MATCH NOTES

• Malinowska tallied her 11th double-double after she had 24 kills, three service aces, one solo block and 24 digs.
• Malinowska tallied a career-high 24 digs, surpassing her previous high mark of 21 vs. Prairie View A&M on Sept. 17, 2024.
• This was Malinowska's fourth straight double double.
• Rhone added with 24 kills, one service ace, two block assists and eight digs. Rhone was two kills shy of tying her season-high mark of 26 set back on Sept. 16 vs. UL Monroe.
• Gonzalez finished with 55 assists, two kills, two service aces and 17 digs. This was her eighth double-double of the season.
• Gonzalez was four assists shy of tying her career-high of 59 set against Sam Houston State on Sept. 2, 2024.
• McEllrath had four total blocks, two kills and four digs.
• Kinley Elms tallied six kills and two block assists.
• Baker led the back line with 27 digs while she also had two assists.
• Baker was 21 digs shy of tying the 10th most digs recorded in a season in program history. She surpassed both Shanda Hart (2000) and Natalie Sarver (2002), who both had mark 428 digs.
• Baker now has 434 digs this season. She is three away from tying the ninth-most digs in a season which is 437 set by Andrea Hamilton in 2006.
• Baker is 56 digs away from entering the top three for digs in a season in program history.
• This was LU's fourth straight four-set match. LU is now 6-2 in four-set matches.

UP NEXT

LU hosts Houston Christian at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 18.