SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- The University of the Incarnate Word volleyball team brought the crowd at the McDermott Convocation Center to its feet, but it fell in a tightly contested match to UTA (4-3). The Cardinals produced a season-best 14 total blocks in the loss.
 
NOTABLES

• Senior outside hitter Maddie Slaughter led the team offensively, with a season-high nine kills.
• Sophomore right side hitter Julia Monday finished with eight kills. She now has 27 kills in her last three matches.

• Monday led the team with a .444 attacking percentage.

• Freshman outside hitter Bethany Clapp put up a season-high four blocks. Freshman middle blocker Carissa McGarity contributed four as well to lead the team.

• Clapp posted eight kills. She has hit at least eight kills in four of her last five matches.

• Freshman setter Pilar Gonzaba led the way with 18 assists, while freshman setter Kendall Kilchrist added 17 of her own.
• Freshman outside hitter/defensive specialist Chloe Patton added in nine digs as a defensive specialist in the third.

• Sophomore defensive specialist Madelynn Miller led the team with 15 digs.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 (26-28) | A thrilling opening set saw 21 ties and seven lead changes. Slaughter came out of the gates on fire, finishing the set with a team-leading five kills. The Cardinals fended off three set points (24-23, 25-24 and 26-25) thanks to kills from Monday, Slaughter and senior outside hitter Autumn Lockley. Ultimately, UTA took the final two points to win the set. Miller set a new season best for digs in a set with 11, while Kilchrist added 11 assists.
 
SET 2 (21-25) | The Mavericks jumped out to a 9-6 lead before an ace from Lockley helped UIW go on a three-point rally to tie it. The teams traded points until the score was tied, 18-18, but UTA finished the set with a three-point run to win the set. 
 
SET 3 (23-25) | UIW jumped out to a 10-6 lead. Lockley finished off a long rally with her seventh kill and soon, the lead was 20-17. Once more, UTA tied it, 20-20. Monday came up with a pair of kills to tie it at 22 and 23, but UTA took the next two points to win the match. UIW hit .394 in the set as a team, its best in a single set this year.
 
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH SAMANTHA DABBS
"Tonight was a tough match for us. I thought Allison Waits came in and did a great job blocking for us in the third set. Chloe Patton made the adjustment from playing outside to libero nicely. Offensively we just couldn't find our rhythm and UTA never let up.
 
We're looking forward to having these next two days off and training hard all week for our next two matches."
 
UP NEXT
The Cardinals host the UIW Cardinals Classic on Sept. 14-15, welcoming Eastern Washington (Sept.1 at 10:30 a.m.) and Alcorn State (Sept. 1 at 12:30 p.m.) for the final non-conference tournament. UIW opens its Southland Conference schedule on the road Sept. 20 at Northwestern State. First serve is slated for 6:30 p.m.
 
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