LUBBOCK, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word snapped out of a season-opening slump with a pair of victories on Friday at the Texas Tech Invitational.  The Cardinals defeated Texas State in five sets and swept past Gardner-Webb in three sets.
           
The Cardinals (3-7) knocked off the Bobcats (5-5) by a score of 25-21, 17-25, 25-18, 20-25, 17-15 at United Supermarkets Arena.  UIW received a big performance from sophomore outside hitter Brittani Dear (LaVernia/LaVernia HS) who pounded out 19 kills in 30 attacks without an attack error.  She led the team attack that finished with 58 kills and a .265 attack percentage.  Two of her most important kills came in the fifth set when she gave the team 15-14 and 16-15 leads.
           
The Cardinals finished the match with 63 dis and 12.0 blocks.  In the three sets they won they posted side out percentages in excess of 69 percent.  Freshman Bryaunea Hall (Copperas Cove/Copperas Cove HS) had nine kills, four blocks and a .294 attack while Angelique Vidaurri (San Antonio/Southwest HS) added 10 kills, four blocks and a .241 attack.  Claudia Hernandez (San Antonio/Antonian HS) led the team with 20 digs while Kaitlyn Brooks (Sugar Land/Fort Bend Austin HS) had a double-double with 26 assists and 10 digs.
           
The Bobcats finished the match with 65 kills, 70 digs and six blocks while posting a .213 attack percentage.  They had three players with double-digit kills, including Lauren Kirch who had 14 kills and a .429 attack.  Jordan Moore dished out 46 assists and had 11 digs while Sierra Smith led the team with 22 digs.
           
In the afternoon, the Cardinals came back with a straight set win over Gardner-Webb (1-8) by a score of 27-25, 25-20, 25-23.  They posted a .287 attack percentage and had 14 more kills than the Bulldogs.
           
The UIW offense was led by Vidaurri who finished with 15 kills, four blocks and a .379 attack percentage.  Shaina Garza (San Antonio/Warren HS) added 11 kills and nine digs with a .360 attack percentage.  Hall had seven kills, four blocks and a .545 attack.  Brooks posted her second double-double of the day with 27 assists and 13 digs while Hernandez led the team with 18 digs.
           
The Bulldogs offense was led by Heather Feldman who had 31 assists and 13 digs.  Taylor Lillard pounded out nine kills to lead the team.
           
The Cardinals are back in next Thursday at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 6 p.m.
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