NEW ORLEANS, La. -- The University of the Incarnate Word volleyball team showed plenty of fight, but the Cardinals fell just short (3-2) in an attempt at a third consecutive road victory Saturday afternoon at the Human Performance Center against the University of New Orleans.
 
NOTABLES

• Freshman outside hitter Bethany Clapp led the team in kills, once again, with 18.
• She posted her third consecutive double-double (18 kills and 12 digs) to advance her season total to five.
• Clapp also added a season-best five blocks in the effort.
• Junior outside hitter Cameron Taylor had a career game, posting 10 kills, five aces and eight digs, all career highs.
• She became the first Cardinal to register five aces in a single game this season.
• Senior middle blocker Maddie Slaughter tied her career best with seven blocks, matching her total from 10/6 @ HBU.
• She led a UIW defense that totaled 12 blocks, just the third time this season the Cardinals have amassed double-digit blocks.
• Sophomore Madelynn Miller was her usual self on the defensive side, leading the team with 27 digs. This marks her fifth 25+ dig performance of the season and her second in as many games.
• Sophomore right side hitter Julia Monday contributed 11 kills, her ninth double-digit kill match of the seaon.
• Freshman setter Pilar Gonzaba led the team with 23 assists.
• Fellow freshman setter Kendall Kilchrist added 18 assists of her own. She also chipped in a season-best four kills.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 (22-25) | After falling behind early in the set, the Cardinals found their footing, going on a 6-0 run to take a 10-9 lead. The set remained close throughout, with UIW seizing a 22-20 lead. UNO bounced back after a timeout, stringing together a five-point rally to win the set. Monday led the team with three kills in the frame.
 
SET 2 (23-25) | UIW tried to respond in the second set, taking an early lead. UNO managed to snuff out the Cardinal attack, reclaiming a small lead and holding onto it throughout the set. Taylor had a superb set as an individual, racking up six kills and two aces, but UNO won the set by two.
 
SET 3 (25-18) | The UIW offense found its comfort zone in the third set, limiting errors and taking advantage of opportunities. The Cardinals went on a 6-1 run to establish a 15-10 lead and didn't let up to take a seven-point set victory. Monday led the team with three kills, while Kilchrist and Gonzaba spread the ball around well, combining for 10 assists in the set.
 
SET 4 (25-22) | The Cardinal resilience was put on full display in the fourth set. UNO, once again, jumped out to a quick lead and maintained it for most of the set. With the score 22-18 in favor of UNO, Clapp came to life. She accounted for four kills and a block to guide UIW on a 7-0 run and the Cardinals forced a fifth set with three points to spare.
 
SET 5 (12-15) | The fifth set started with both teams trading blows, but UNO went on a 4-0 run to take a late lead. The Privateers held on for the set win and the match victory. Slaughter led the team with one kill and two blocks in the set.
 
HEAR FROM COACH DABBS
"It's never easy coming back from being down 0-2 and getting into a fifth set. So many of our players came in and did some great things for us in clutch moments.
 
"Slaughter went on a seven-point serving run, while Clapp did her job attacking and scoring points for us to get into the fifth. During the third set, Julia Monday did a great job being a threat on the outside and putting some balls away for us. Our setters did a great job feeding each player who was hot at the moment and our backrow worked really hard, too, keeping us in those long rallies."
 
UP NEXT
The Cardinals return to the McDermott Center for a weekend of matches with heavy postseason implications. After falling in four sets to Lamar back in September, UIW hosts a rematch against the Cardinals from Beaumont on Thursday (Nov. 1 at 7:00 p.m.). Then, UIW will attempt a season-sweep of McNeese when the Cowgirls visit town next Saturday (Nov. 3 at 10:30 a.m.).

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