SAN MARCOS, Texas — Lamar University closed out preseason play Saturday afternoon, battling former Southland Conference rival Texas State at Strahan Arena.

Although the match result was official after three sets, both teams agreed to play five sets. Texas State won four of the five, 25-22, 25-15, 25-20, 25-19, 13-15.

The Cardinals erased an early four-point deficit in the opening set after a kill from Kinley Elms and an ace by Alexa Gonzalez tied the score at 10-10.

Texas State responded with a 6-0 run to build a five-point advantage, but Lamar answered with six consecutive points to even the set at 17-17. Grace Hill recorded two kills during the rally.

The Bobcats regained a three-point lead, but the Cardinals battled back to tie the score twice late in the set behind solo blocks from Elms and Saida Maksoud.

Texas State closed the set on a 3-0 run to secure the 25-22 victory.

Lamar struggled to find momentum in the second set.

The Cardinals trailed by as many as six points and held their only lead at 1-0 following a kill from Gabrielle St. Louis.

St. Louis finished the set with four kills.

The Cardinals came out strong in the third set, building a 10-3 lead.

Katelyn Hughes and Addison Stanley each served an ace during the stretch while Leila Ceaser added two kills.

Texas State answered with six straight points to tie the score at 11-11.

The teams were tied three more times before the Bobcats gradually pulled away to claim the set.

The fifth set featured several momentum swings before Lamar seized control late.

The Cardinals opened with a 2-0 lead behind kills from Nisaan Martinez and Hill.

Lamar later scored three consecutive points to build a 12-8 advantage. During the run, Elms recorded a solo block, Hill added a kill and Hughes served an ace.

Elms delivered a key kill off an assist from Hughes to bring the Cardinals to set point, and Malinowska put away the match-clinching kill as Lamar secured a 15-13 victory in the final set.

GAME NOTES

• St. Louis led the Cardinals with six kills in three sets while Hill and Madelynn Coy added five kills each.
• Hill also recorded four digs.
• Riley Johnson and Ceaser chipped in with four kills apiece.
• Gonzalez paced the defense with five digs.
• Jo Moffitt dished out 12 assists while Hughes added 10 assists and three digs.
• Maksoud recorded two of Lamar's three blocks in the first three sets.

UP NEXT

The Cardinals open the regular season next weekend at the ACU Invitational in Abilene. Lamar begins tournament play Friday, Aug. 28, with matches against CSU Bakersfield at 1:30 p.m. and host Abilene Christian at 7:30 p.m.