SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word volleyball team continues their Southland Conference schedule on the road this weekend with three matches.  The Cardinals start against Sam Houston State on Thursday at 6 p.m., then they play Lamar on Saturday at 1 p.m., and they close out the weekend against McNeese State on Sunday at 3 p.m.

The Cardinals are averaging 11.3 kills, 10.5 assists and 14.4 digs per set and have a hitting attack of .157.  Angelique Vidaurri (San Antonio/Southwest HS) continues to be the top attacker for the Cardinals (5-12, 1-3 SLC) averaging 2.94 per set.  Kaitlyn Brooks (Sugar Land/Fort Bend Austin HS) and Taylor McClelland (Cypress/Cypress Ranch HS) direct the attack with 5.6 and 4.0 assists per set, respectively. Claudia Hernandez is leading the Cardinal's defense averaging 3.56 digs per set.

Sam Houston State (9-7, 2-1 SLC) lost its first conference match of the season to Lamar, but have gone on to win two straight conference matches.  Deveney Wells-Gibson earned the Southland Conference offensive player of the week last week for the third time this season.  Wells-Gibson powered the Bearkats to two wins last weekend, tallying an impressive 22 kills in their 4-set win against Nicholls and 18 in their sweep over McNeese State.  She ranks in the top five in the nation in attacks per set, averaging 12.9.  She is also leading the team in kills per set with 4.68.  Michelle Griffith dishes out 10.39 assists per set while Claire Kilpatrick leads the team with 3.87 digs per set. As a team, the Bearkats are averaging 12.8 kills and 16.6 digs per set while hitting .174.
 
Lamar (1-14, 1-2 SLC) has played some really close matches in Southland Conference play.  Each of their first two conference matches went to five sets.  Cortney Moore leads the Lady Cardinals with 3.21 kills per set.  Leading the team in assists is Ashley Ellis with 10.05 and Erika Rojas tops the list with 3.07 digs per set.  As a team, the Lady Cardinals are averaging 11.3 kills and 13.9 digs per set to go with a .189 attack.

McNeese State (10-10, 1-4 SLC) got their first conference win last Thursday against Lamar.  Before that win, the Cowgirls were on a 5-game losing streak.  Rachel Cagnina was forced to sit out most of their last match against Southeastern Louisiana due to an injury, but she is still leading the team with 3.03 kills per set.  Kelly Graham is leading the team in assists per set with 9.53, and Malina Sanchez is leading in digs per set with 3.64.  As a team, the Cowgirls are averaging 12.0 kills and 14.9 digs per set and they have a .187 attack percentage.
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