BEAUMONT, Texas — Southeastern Louisiana outlasted Lamar University in five sets, 25-17, 20-25, 25-20, 13-25, 15-6, Saturday afternoon at McDonald Gym.
The opening set featured six ties, with Lamar taking an early 10-7 lead behind two kills from
Maja Malinowska during a 3-1 run.
Southeastern responded with a 9-1 surge to build a 16-11 advantage.
The Cardinals trimmed the deficit to three points with a 3-1 run sparked by two kills from
Nisaan Martinez and another from
Kinley Elms.
Southeastern answered by scoring the final three points of the set to secure the opening-frame victory.
Malinowska recorded three consecutive kills to open the second set and give Lamar an early advantage.
The set was tied four times before the Cardinals used a 6-0 run to build a 13-8 lead.
Kimaya Webb contributed two kills during the surge while
Madelynn Coy added a pair of aces.
Southeastern cut the deficit to two points with a 3-0 run, but Lamar answered with a 4-1 spurt to extend its lead back to five.
The Lions later used another 3-0 run to pull within three, but the Cardinals closed the set on a 3-1 run, highlighted by three Malinowska kills, to even the match.
Southeastern built an early three-point lead in the third set before Lamar answered with a 3-0 run to even the score at 7-7.
The Lions regained a two-point advantage, but the Cardinals responded with another 3-0 run to take the lead.
The score was tied four times down the stretch before Southeastern used a 7-1 run to turn a close set into a 20-16 advantage.
The Lions maintained the momentum and claimed the set to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
Lamar seized control of the fourth set early, building a 5-1 lead behind two kills from Malinowska, a kill from Webb and a service ace from
Gabby Baker.
The Cardinals never trailed in the set and extended their advantage with a 4-1 run to take a seven-point lead.
Katelyn Hughes recorded two aces during the surge while Martinez and
Leila Ceaser added two kills apiece.
Lamar continued to pull away, stretching its lead to 18-8 before closing out the set on a 3-1 run.
Martinez, Hill and Malinowska each recorded a kill during the closing stretch as the Cardinals forced a decisive fifth set.
Southeastern seized control of the fifth set, opening with a 6-0 run.
The Lions later scored four consecutive points to extend their advantage to 11-3 and put the match out of reach.
Lamar was unable to overcome the early deficit as Southeastern closed out the set and the match with a 2-1 run.
MATCH NOTES
- Malinowska posted a season-high 25 kills and added 10 digs for her seventh double-double of the season. She now sits 80 kills shy of the 1,000-career-kill milestone.
- Martinez added 16 kills while Webb finished with seven kills, one service ace and one block assist.
- Hughes dished out a season-high 28 assists to go along with four service aces and four digs.
- Alexa Gonzalez added 20 assists, one service ace and five digs.
- Baker anchored the defense with a season-high 22 digs, five assists and two service aces. She is now 190 digs away from reaching 1,000 for her career.
- Coy chipped in 10 digs, two service aces and two kills.
- Saturday's match marked the 14th five-set meeting between Lamar and Southeastern Louisiana. The teams are now tied 7-7 in five-set contests.
UP NEXT
Lamar returns to action next week when it travels to face Nicholls at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
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