Box Score SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word volleyball team picked up their first Southland Conference victory of the season on Thursday night at the McDermott Center with a 23-25, 25-18, 26-24, 25-22 win over visiting Nicholls State.

The Cardinals (5-4, 1-2) played one of their best defensive matches of the season accumulating 14 blocks while holding the Colonels (3-10, 0-3) to a .180 attack percentage.  Meaghan Patterson (Helotes/O'Connor HS), Jaina Jackson (Huntley, IL/Huntley HS) and Angelique Vidaurri (San Antonio/Southwest HS) each had seven block assists in the match for UIW.

The match started well for the Cardinals and it appeared that they would run away with the first set after taking a 20-15 lead after a block by Vidaurri and Patterson.  Unfortunately, the Colonels would not go away so quickly and scored the next seven points to take a two point lead.  The visitors were able to take the set on a kill by Kayla Burling for a 25-23 win.  Nicholls posted a .323 attack in the set and only had two attack errors.

The Cardinals bounced back in the second set with a strong 25-18 win.  In the third set UIW appeared to be down and out after the Colonels took a 24-20 lead.  The Cardinals defense came up with three consecutive blocks and then two more attack errors by Nicholls gave UIW a 25-24 lead.  On set point, Vidaurri came through with a kill to give UIW a 2-1 lead.

In the fourth set the Cardinals held the lead until a Kayla Mashburn kill gave the Colonels a 19-18 lead.  Nicholls bumped the lead up to 21-19 before the Cardinals pounded out four consecutive kills to reclaim the lead.  Sarah Cardenas (San Antonio/O'Connor HS) served up an ace on match point to secure the win.

The Cardinals finished the match with 53 kills and a .192 attack.  Freshman Brittani Dear (La Vernia/La Vernia HS) led the team with 16 kills, 13 digs, three blocks and a .308 attack percentage.  Shaina Garza (San Antonio/Warren HS) added 11 kills and 12 digs.  Danielle Suarez (San Antonio/Antonian HS) had 27 assists and eight digs while Taylor McClelland (Cypress/Cypress Ranch HS) had 20 assists and nine digs.  Cardenas led the team with 14 digs.

The Colonels finished with 49 kills, 57 digs and 7.0 blocks, but unfortunately had 17 service errors.  Burling led the squad with 14 kills and 10 digs while Mashburn added 12 kills, nine digs and four blocks.  Mikayla Miller had eight kills and a .583 attack.  Marlee Bean and Alyse Barclay accumulated 41 assists and Kalynn Egea led all players with 18 digs.

The Cardinals are back in action Friday at 6 p.m. against Angelo State at home.
####
pr13450smm