SAN ANTONIO -- The University of the Incarnate Word volleyball team took another step towards postseason play by defeating Lamar in convincing fashion, 3-0, Thursday night at the McDermott Center. The offense hit .313 as a team, the highest team attack percentage of the season and the highest since Nov. 1, 2016 (.315).
 
The win improves the Cardinals' conference record to 5-8, just half a game behind eighth place in the conference. Only the top eight teams qualify for the Southland Conference Tournament on Nov. 15 in Natchitoches, Louisiana.
 
NOTABLES

• Sophomore outside hitter Julia Monday was lights out, tying her career best with 18 kills -- last done in four sets at SLU, 9/22/18.
• She set a career high in attack percentage, hitting .571 (18 kills on 28 attempts and two errors) in the victory.
• Aces played a major role all night as UIW finished with nine, a new season high.
• Freshman outside hitter Bethany Clapp delivered 13 kills, giving her double-digit kills in each of her last four matches. She has  15 matches with double-digit kills on the season.
• Junior right side hitter Cameron Taylor finished with eight kills on .500 hitting, giving her 18 kills in her last two matches (nearly half of her season total of 38).
• Freshman setter Pilar Gonzaba collected 37 assists to increase her season total to 499. 
• Sophomore libero Madelynn Miller led the team with 10 digs, her seventh consecutive match with double-digit digs.
• UIW registered two blocks with a solo block from senior Maddie Slaughter and block assists from Gonzaba and junior middle blocker Allison Waits.
• Freshman outside hitter Chloe Patton led the way at the serving line with a season-high four aces.

 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 (25-20) | UIW started off strong, establishing its offensive game early to grab a 13-8 lead. Clapp and Monday provided clinical outside hitting and Gonzaba orchestrated the offense to a tee as UIW led by as many as six points before winning the set by five. Monday led the team with six kills, while Clapp finished with four. Gonzaba posted 12 assists. Aces played a significant role in the first set offense. UIW finished with four as a team, led by Gonzaba's two.
 
SET 2 (25-22) | Lamar fought back in the second, forcing some long rallies and putting the UIW defense in tough positions. There were 14 total ties and seven lead changes in the set, including ties as late as 22-22. Nearly every time UIW needed a kill, the ball found Monday. The sophomore continued her ruthless attacks on the outside and Lamar simply could not find an answer. With the score tied late, Monday delivered a pair of kills and Slaughter made a critical solo block to put the set away and give UIW a decisive lead. Monday led the team with nine kills in the set. UIW hit .343 as a team.
 
SET 3 (25-16) | Any hopes for a Lamar comeback were squelched by the powerful hitting of Clapp and company in the third set. Lamar tied the set, 6-6, before a 10-3 UIW run earned enough breathing room for a comfortable, nine-point set victory. Clapp hit six kills in the final set as the offense shut the door on the visiting Cardinals. As a team, UIW hit .393 in the final set -- 13 kills and just two errors in 28 attempts. The win gives UIW five conference victories on the season, including three in its last four matches.
  
HEAR FROM COACH DABBS
"This was a huge win. Every win is huge when you're fighting for a postseason berth, but this one was special. We played them once before this season; they beat us at their place. So we knew where we stood with them and we wanted to make sure that we came out and played disciplined, like we always do. We executed the serving and passing game and our pin hitters did a great job of attacking."
 
UP NEXT
The Cardinals continue their push for the postseason on Saturday when UIW attempts a season-sweep of McNeese (Nov. 3 at 10:30 a.m.). The remaining three matches in the season-ending stretch will be at Texas Southern on Tuesday, Nov. 6, at 6 p.m., followed by a pair of home matches (Thursday at 7 p.m. against HBU and Saturday at noon against A&M-CC).

FOLLOW ALONG
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