SAN ANTONIO - The University of Incarnate Word women's volleyball team traveled to Stephenville, Texas Tuesday night, September 6, to face the Texans of Tarleton State University. The Cardinals put up a fight, but ultimately fell, 3-1, to the Texans.
Allison Palmi led both teams with a total of 16 kills. Palmi also contributed 12 digs, marking her first double-double of the season. Finley Evans followed close behind with 15 kills of her own. The pair accounted for 31 of the 52 kills for UIW. Jacqueline Arrington also recorded a career-high, and game-high, nine blocks for the Cardinals.
The first set laid out the prescient for what was to come the rest of the match as both teams traded points with each other till the end.
The Cardinals came out hot in the first set. Kills by Annamarie Alvarez and Evans powered the Cardinals to a 6-5 lead. After tying up the game at seven, the Texans went on a five-point run to take the lead, 12-8. The Cardinals came storming back to even it up at 15 after a service error by the Texans. From then on, points between the Cardinals and Texans went back and forth, but the Cardinals always kept one point ahead. After a total of 15 kills, the Cardinals took set one 25-23.
The second set came down to the wire just like the first. Riding on momentum from the first set, the Cardinals took an early 3-0 lead. The outside team of Haynes and Flanagan from the Texans came staggering back, evening out the score 5-5. As the Cardinals' momentum had just hit a bump, Allison Palmi hit a ball deep into the corner, starting a 4-0 run for the Cardinals. Soon after, the Texans gained some in-house energy and took their biggest lead of the game 17-13. As the Texans soon hit match point, the Cardinals recharged and brought themselves back within one after a kill by Palmi and an assist by Taylor Stoops (23-24). Though it still was not enough for Tarleton State as they took the second match 25-23.
Through sets three and four, the Cardinals suffered six service errors, most being at crucial run moments throughout the game. As we saw small moments of energy bursts from the Cardinals, their errors became too costly as the Texans found their groove. The Texans won the third set 25-18 and took the fourth set in a, 25-23 nailbiter.
UIW volleyball will hit the road this weekend heading to the College of Charleston (CofC) Invitational in Charleston, South Carolina.
Game play begins on Friday as the Cardinals take on the Charleston Cougars at 6 p.m. The Cardinals will then face a doubleheader on Saturday starting with Coastal Carolina University at 9 a.m. and Wofford College at 3:30 p.m.
FOLLOW ALONG
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--UIW CARDINALS--
