NATCHITOCHES, La. — Entering the final eight matches of the regular season, Lamar University kept its postseason hopes alive with a four-set victory over Northwestern State, 25-27, 25-22, 25-22, 25-22, Wednesday night at Prather Coliseum.
Maja Malinowska entered the match needing five kills to reach 1,000 for her career. She finished with 16 kills, pushing her career total to 1,011.
Lamar now enters a two-way tie for seventh place with a game lead over eighth-place East Texas A&M.
The Cardinals opened the first set with a 4-2 lead following a kill from
Saida Maksoud.
Northwestern State answered with four straight points to take a 6-4 lead.
Lamar responded with a 3-0 run behind two kills from
Nisaan Martinez and one from
Grace Hill.
After the score was tied twice, the Cardinals took an 11-9 lead on a block by
Rihanna Bryant and Malinowska.
Lamar extended its lead to five with a 4-0 run highlighted by two kills from Malinowska and one from Martinez.
A solo block from Hill and a service ace from Maksoud helped the Cardinals build a six-point advantage before the Demons used a 3-0 run to pull within one.
Kills from Malinowska and Martinez pushed Lamar's lead back to three, but Northwestern State outscored the Cardinals 7-2 down the stretch to secure a two-point victory.
Lamar used an early 5-0 run to build a six-point lead in the second set. Martinez recorded two kills during the run while Malinowska added a kill and a service ace.
The Cardinals continued their offensive surge, outscoring the Demons 4-1 to extend the lead to eight. Malinowska recorded back-to-back kills during the run.
Northwestern State answered with four straight points to cut the deficit to three, but Lamar responded with a 3-1 run to push its lead back to five. Martinez delivered two kills during the stretch.
The Demons trimmed the deficit to two with three unanswered points before another 3-0 run pulled Northwestern State within one late in the set.
Lamar closed the set with a 3-1 run, getting a solo block and two kills from Malinowska to secure the three-point victory and even the match.
The third set featured 16 ties before the Cardinals pulled away late with a 3-0 run to take a 2-1 lead in the match. Martinez recorded a kill and teamed with Maksoud for a block during the decisive run.
Lamar opened the fourth set with three unanswered points before the score was tied five times.
Northwestern State used a 4-0 run to take a 12-8 lead. The Demons maintained the advantage until the Cardinals scored four straight points to tie the set at 18.
After Northwestern State regained a two-point lead, Lamar responded with a 5-0 run to go ahead 23-20. Martinez, Hill and
Riley Johnson each recorded a kill during the run while Maksoud added a service ace.
Hill delivered the final two kills to secure the victory for the Cardinals.
MATCH NOTES
- Martinez finished with 20 kills, four block assists and three digs, matching her season high set against Houston Christian on Oct. 8.
- Malinowska recorded her 10th double-double of the season and 41st of her career with 16 kills and 18 digs. She added two assists, two service aces, two solo blocks and three block assists.
- Hill added 13 kills, one solo block and one dig, finishing one kill shy of her season high of 14, which she has recorded twice, most recently against HCU on Oct. 8.
- Alexa Gonzalez recorded her second double-double of the season with 27 assists and 13 digs while Katelyn Hughes added a double-double with 18 assists and 11 digs.
- The Cardinals finished with 16 block assists and three solo blocks. Maksoud recorded five block assists, three kills and two service aces.
- Gabby Baker led the back row with 23 digs while adding six assists and one service ace.
UP NEXT
The Cardinals return home to take on East Texas A&M at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 24.
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