BEAUMONT, Texas — Lamar University opened the season with a 2-2 draw during exhibition match against Southland Conference rival Houston Christian on Saturday afternoon at the McDonald Gym.

The Cardinals claimed the second set, 25-21, and the fourth set, 25-20, while the Huskies won the first and third sets by identical 25-23 scores.

Lamar utilized all 18 available players during the match.

The opening set featured 11 ties.

Trailing by three points, the Cardinals rallied with a 3-0 run, highlighted by consecutive kills from Madelynn Coy, to take a one-point lead.

Houston Christian responded with a 3-0 spurt to regain control late in the set, but Lamar closed within one after kills from Leila Ceaser and Coy.

Following a timeout, Katy Barger recorded a kill to seal the set for the Huskies.

Lamar controlled the second set, leading by as many as four points and never trailing.

Grace Hill delivered the set-clinching kill to even the match at one set apiece.

Houston Christian jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the third set, but the Cardinals battled back.

A 4-0 run capped by back-to-back kills from Maja Malinowska tied the score at 17-17.

The Huskies answered with a 4-0 run of their own before Lamar cut the deficit to one late in the set on a kill from Rihanna Bryant.

Barger again provided the decisive point, recording another set-winning kill to give HCU a 2-1 advantage.

After seven early ties in the fourth set, the Cardinals surged ahead by four points and never relinquished the lead.

Nisaan Martinez and Kimaya Webb teamed up for block assists on the final two points as Lamar closed the set on a 4-0 run to secure the draw.

GAME NOTES

• Hill led the Cardinals with 12 kills and two digs while Bryant had nine kills and two blocks.
• Malinowska and Coy each finished with eight kills. The duo also combined for four service aces and 10 digs.
• Katelyn Hughes tallied 26 assists.
• Alexa Gonzalez had a double-double with 16 assists and 10 digs.
• Kiana Souza led the defense with 11 digs while she had four assists.
• Martinez and Webb each finished with four blocks.
• The Cardinals tallied 57 kills, 10 blocks, 10 service aces and 61 digs.
• Saida Maksoud, Malinowska and Coy all had two service aces.
• For HCU, Barger led all scorers with 18 kills while Bianca Kisur had 11.

UP NEXT

The Cardinals have one more exhibition match on the road at Texas State on Saturday, Aug. 22 at 2 p.m.