THIBODAUX, LA. – University of the Incarnate Word battled back against Nicholls clenching the victory 3-2. After a slow start, the Cardinals clenched the final three sets of the match. UIW went perfect on their road stretch in Louisiana, defeating New Orleans and Nicholls.
 
The Cardinals tallied 66 kills, 63 assists, 92 digs and 11 total team blocks in their victory against the Colonels. Bethany Clapp led UIW's offense with 24 kills. Jacqueline Arrington (15) and Allison Palmi (10) followed combining for 25 kills. Natalie Martin (34) and Natalie Kimmel (22) set up the offense combining for 56 assists. Macy Sumrall led the Cardinal defense with 21 digs.
 
Clapp and Arrington registered their season highs in kills in tonight's match against the Colonels.
 
"We could've given up after losing two sets, but we came back fighting hard to win the last three sets," said Arrington. "We did a great job executing plays and getting the middles involved. The energy from the whole team helped push us through to the win."  
 
"Although we didn't start the first two sets well, I'm proud of our fight tonight," said Clapp. "It feels really great coming out of this weekend 2-0."
 
The Cardinals started slow falling to the Colonels in the first two sets. (24-26, 16-25)
 
UIW answered back in the third set with a strong 6-0 scoring run to start the set. Clapp and Arrington led the Cardinal offense combining for nine of the 14 kills in the set. The defense from the Cardinals was the deciding factor in this set. Eight Cardinals registered a dig totaling 20 in set three. The Cardinals went on another 6-0 scoring run to extend the lead 14-8. Three kills late in the set from Arrington ultimately led to the Cardinal's victory in the third set 25-9.
 
The fourth set was a back-and-forth battle with four tied scores and one lead change. The Cardinals went on a 3-0 scoring run midway through the set to double their lead 14-7. This was another amazing defensive game from the Cardinals. Sumrall, Kimmel and Audrey Patton led the defense combing for 11 of the 22 total digs in the set. Two big kills late in the set from Clapp gave the Cardinals the advantage 26-24 to take the match to set five.
 
In the final set of the match UIW went on a 9-0 scoring run to lead them to a 15-6 victory. Patton led the defense with five digs to stop Nicholls' offense in the final set of the match. Kimmel ended the match with a sneaky tip that stunned the Colonel defense.
 
"Extremely proud of our team for turning it around in the third set and finishing the match strong," said head coach Samantha Dabbs Thomas. "We made our adjustments and started serving tougher to get them out of system. We were able to turn defensive plays into big time transition swings."
 
The Cardinals advance to 3-2 in Southland Conference play.
 
UP NEXT
The Cardinals look to defend their home court in two more conference match ups this week. UIW will host Houston Baptist University on Thursday, October 14 at 6:30 p.m. and McNeese State University on Saturday, October 16 at 2 p.m.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics, visit uiwcardinals.com, follow the Cardinals on Twitter @UIWAthletics and like UIW Athletics on Facebook. 
Follow the team on Twitter @UIWVolleyball and on Instagram @uiw_volleyball.