Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CANYON, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word volleyball team started the season with a pair of wins at the BritKare Lady Buff Classic hosted by West Texas A&M on Friday. They defeated Western State 25-11, 25-16, 25-16 and Lubbock Christian 25-16, 25-21, 25-16.

In the season opener, the Cardinals (2-0) trailed early, but quickly asserted their will in the match. They were down 6-2 in the first set, but scored 18 of the next 21 points to take the first set. In the second set, UIW held an 18-16 lead and then Angelique Vidaurri pounded a kill that started a 7-0 run as freshman Brittani Dear served up the final six points of the set. In the third set the Cardinals gradually pulled away from Western State and Kristin Fording finished off the match with a kill.

The Cardinals posted a .287 attack and had 41 kills. Senior Beth Soukup led the way with 10 kills and a .562 attack percentage while Vidaurri added 10 kills and a .368 attack. Taylor McClelland and Danielle Suarez combined to dish out 31 assists and Suarez also led the team with eight digs. Meaghan Patterson led the defense with three blocks in her first action in nearly two years.

Western struggled on the attack posting only a .047 hitting percentage with 22 kills. Kallee Cool was the lone bright spot on offense with six kills and a .600 attack while Allison Walker handed out 20 assists.

In the second match of the day the Cardinals easily won the first and third sets. The second set appeared to be going the same way when UIW was leading 21-12. However, LCU came back by scoring seven of the next nine points to close the gap, but the Cardinals were able to finish it off.

The Cardinals offense performed well again with a .269 attack percentage. Vidaurri and Dear each had 11 kills and at least .400 attack. Suarez led the team with 23 assists while McClelland chipped in 17. Sarah Cardenas led the team with 16 digs and was part of a defensive effort that held Lubbock Christian to a .091 attack.

Abby White led LCU with eight kills and a .353 attack while Mallory Powell had 18 assists. Tyler Webster led the team with 10 digs.

The Cardinals are back in action on Saturday with matches against Colorado-Colorado Springs and UT-Permian Basin.
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