SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of Incarnate Word volleyball team finished off their home schedule with a defeat loss against Southland Conference rival Abilene Christian on Saturday afternoon 25-22, 25-19, 21-25, 25-17.
           
The match started out slow for the Cardinals (7-14, 5-7) and they could not overcome errors all day long.  In the first set, UIW committed seven attack errors and they had a hitting percentage of .167.  The set was tied 16-16 when the Cardinals had their best run with three straight points to make the score, 19-16. However, three errors from UIW helped jump start a run from the Wildcats and they won the set 25-22.
           
The second set was much like the first for UIW.  The team could not overcome a plethora of errors which led to a .029 attacking percentage for the set.  The Cardinals battled all set long and they were only down two points at 17-15 late, but once again the Wildcats made a late charge scoring six out of the last seven points to win the second set 25-19 and take a 2-0 match lead.
           
In the third set, the Cardinals came alive and regained their form from the last several matches.  With their backs against the wall and a 2-0 deficit, the team came out focused and jumped out to 6-2 lead.  Midway through the set, the Wildcats made a run to close the deficit to one point at 19-18.  However, Madison Williams (New Braunfels/Canyon HS) and Bryaunea Hall (Copperas Cove/Copperas Cove HS) each contributed two kills late in the going to give the Cardinals a 25-21 set victory.
             
Early in the fourth set, the Cardinals carried the momentum from the third set to jump out to a 7-2 lead.  However, the Wildcats responded with a run of six straight points to take a two point lead at 10-8.  The Cardinals never did recover from the run from the Wildcats as Abilene Christian went on to cruise to a 25-17 set victory and a 3-1 match win. In the fourth set, the Cardinals committed a match high 10 errors as a team which led to a .026 attacking percentage.  
           
For the match, Autumn Lockley (Leander/Leander HS) was the only Cardinal with double digit kills at 10.  Sarea Alexander (San Antonio/MacArthur HS) had the best performance for UIW with eight kills and a .263 attacking percentage.  Taylor McClelland (Cypress/Cypress Ranch HS) and Kaitlyn Brooks (Sugar Land/Fort Bend Austin HS) directed the Cardinal attack with 23 assists each. Jordan Reifsteck (Allen/Oswego East HS) was the Cardinals best defender with 21 digs.  As a team, the Cardinals totaled 49 kills with an attacking percentage of .120. The team also tallied 55 digs for the match.

The UIW volleyball team will return to action on November 5, as they travel to Thibodaux, LA to take on Nicholls in a conference matchup.
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