SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of Incarnate Word volleyball team took an impressive victory over Southland Conference rival New Orleans at the McDermott Center on Saturday.  The 30-28, 25-18, 30-28 victory was the third straight home win for the Cardinals.

Starting out in the first set, neither team could get a clear advantage as both teams traded points early on.  Bryaunea Hall (Copperas Cove/Copperas Cove HS) and Sarea Alexander (San Antonio/MacArthur HS) provided the offensive spark early in the set and combined for seven of the team's 14 kills for the set.  The Privateers would take a 19-15 lead and force UIW to call a timeout, but the Cardinals (6-13, 4-6) would battle back to tie the set at 21-21 after a kill from Autumn Lockley (Leander/Leander HS).  The Privateers responded with three straight points to put the Cardinals on the brink of the set loss at 24-21.  However, the Cardinals would score five straight points to take the 26-25 lead and they would eventually win the set, 30-28.
           
Unlike the first set, the second was controlled by UIW from the beginning. Lockley provided much of the scoring for the Cardinals with six kills and Hall added three kills for the team.  At one point, the Cardinals had a 21-11 lead and they would finish off the set victory with three kills from Lockley.  As a team, the Cardinals recorded 17 kills in the set with a .364 attack percentage.
           
After the convincing second set victory, the Cardinals would once again be in a hard fought set with the Privateers.  Midway through the set, the Cardinals made their move with six straight points to give them an 18-13 lead.  After an ace by Angelique Vidaurri (San Antonio/Southwest HS) the Cardinals took a 24-19 lead, but the Privateers made a run of their own scoring five straight points to tie the set at 24-24. The Cardinals would eventually outlast New Orleans and win the set 30-28 for the match victory.
           
As a team, UIW had one of their best offensive performances of the season with 46 kills and a .296 attacking percentage in the three sets.  Lockley led the team with 16 kills and a .467 attacking percentage while Hall also played a big part of the offense with 13 kills and a .455 attacking percentage.  Kaitlyn Brooks (Sugar Land/Fort Bend Austin HS) and Taylor McClelland (Cypress/Cypress Ranch HS) directed the Cardinals attack with 21 and 15 assists, respectfully.  Also, McClelland led the defensive effort with nine digs and Hall and Vidaurri each had four blocks apiece.
           
The Privateers finished the match with 50 kills, 52 digs and a .227 attack.  Blessing Dunn led the team with 12 kills while Celeste Ramirez had 35 assists.  Shaylene Reimer led all players with 17 digs.

The Cardinals return to action on Tuesday against McNeese State at the McDermott Center with a 7:00 p.m. start time.
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