Box Score Tulsa, Okla. – The University of the Incarnate Word volleyball team finished the Hurricane Classic on Saturday afternoon as they dropped the tournament finale against the University of Alabama 3-1: 25-14, 25-23, 17-25, 25-20.
 
The Cardinals started out slow in the first set as the team only registered six kills and also had six errors, while the Crimson Tide registered 15 kills with a .345 attacking percentage. Both Autumn Lockley (Leander, TX/ Leander) and Cameron Edwards (League City, TX/ Clear Springs) led the Cardinals with two kills each during the first set although Alabama would take the set victory 25-14.

After the first set loss, the Cardinals wasted no time getting the early lead to start the second set by scoring the first three points of the set. The Crimson Tide would rebound and both teams traded the lead midway through the set. Late in the going, Lockley tied the set at 22-22 after a kill, but Alabama would go on to score three out of the last four points to win the set 25-23. Lockley led the team with four kills in the set while Freshman Emily Waller (Houston, TX/ Cypress Falls) added two kills. As a team, the Cardinals had nine kills in the set with a .097 attacking percentage.

The third set would prove to be the best of the young season so far for UIW. The team registered 15 kills and only three errors for a .500 attacking percentage. UIW jumped out to a 10-4 lead and the Crimson Tide were unable to rebound from the early deficit and the Cardinals would go on to win the set 25-17 after scoring five out of the last six points. Lockley had seven kills and Waller added four kills.
           
In the fourth set, the Cardinals were unable to start fast as they fell behind 6-1 early. At one point, the Cardinals were down 23-10 but the team battled back and scored seven straight points late bringing them to within four points of the Crimson Tide at 24-20. However, Alabama scored the final point of the set winning 25-20 and that also gave the Crimson Tide the 3-1match victory.
 
As a team, UIW had 40 kills and 21 errors while the Crimson Tide had 52 kills and a .250 attacking percentage. Lockley led the team with 14 kills and Waller and Edwards had nine and seven kills respectively. Sarea Alexander (San Antonio, TX/ MacArthur) had a match high 10 blocks while Sierra Moses (Austin, TX/ Panola JC) led the Cardinals with 17 assists. Shaina Garza (San Antonio, TX/ Warren) had 11 digs and Lockley added nine. Krystal Rivers led Alabama with 18 kills and Brittany Thomas added 14 kills.

The Cardinals will return to action on Thursday, September 1^st as they take on Central Arkansas in the Crain Automotive Invitational starting at 4:00 p.m. in Conway, Arkansas.