HUNTSVILLE, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word volleyball team traveled to Sam Houston State for a Southland Conference match on Thursday night and they lost in three sets.

Last season, the Cardinals (5-13, 1-4) defeated the Bearkats at home in one of the most exciting matches of the season in five sets.  The same could not be said of the match this year as Sam Houston State dropped the Cardinals 25-14, 25-16, 25-12.  The Bearkats had a number of large runs in the match, including a 7-0 run in the first set and an 11-0 run in the third set that cinched the match.

The Cardinals finished the match with 21 kills, 42 digs and three blocks.  Unfortunately, the team also had 19 attack errors and nine service errors.  Angelique Vidaurri (San Antonio/Southwest HS) led the team with six kills while Kaitlyn Brooks (Sugar Land/Fort Bend Austin HS) and Taylor McClelland (Cypress/Cypress Ranch HS) each had nine assists.  Jordan Reifsteck (Allen/Oswego East (IL) HS) had 10 digs.

The Bearkats pounded out 42 kills and had 55 digs and seven blocks.  Deveney Wells-Gibson and Jordyn Vaughn were the top attackers on the team with 13 and 12 kills, respectively.  Vaughn also had a .400 attack percentage while Wells-Gibson added 13 digs.  Michelle Griffith dished out a match high 36 assists and had 12 digs.  The team had six service aces, two service errors and no reception errors.

The Cardinals are back in action on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Lamar University where they will try to get back on the winning track.
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