University of the Incarnate Word Athletics

HOUSTON -- The University of the Incarnate Word volleyball team (13-9, 11-2) held off Houston Christian (6-19, 4-9) in five sets, earning a 3-2 win to extend its winning streak to six Wednesday night. The Cardinals leaned on their defense to make up for a quieter offensive performance, overpowering the Huskies, recording a conference single-game high of 17 blocks and adding 86 digs, the ninth-most in a conference match this season.

SET ONE: The Cardinals jumped out to an early lead after a 4-0 start. Back-to-back solo blocks from Calissa Allison and Kitana Tu'ufuli pushed the lead to 11-5, prompting a HCU timeout. The Huskies went on a 6-0 run out of the break to tie it at 11 before Sofia Grimm ended the run with a kill. HCU was in front at the media timeout, 15-13, as the teams traded points down the stretch. UIW eventually broke into a 6-0 run, including three straight aces from Ashton Rogers, to hold on for the set-one win, 25-19. 

SET TWO: This time, the Huskies had the early lead on a 5-1 run before a Cardinals run, capped by a block assist from Lilly Roach and Grimm, tied the set at five. The Huskies pulled away with another 4-0 run to push the lead to 11-6, taking a 15-6 advantage into the media break. It was a set of runs, as UIW put together six straight points to tie the set at 20, but the Huskies reclaimed the lead at 23-20 with another run of their own. The Cardinals tied it again at 24, but the Huskies came up with the final two points to take set two, 26-24.

SET THREE: Set three featured eight ties and four lead changes before the media break, with the Cardinals taking a 15-13 lead. UIW held off the Huskies, not allowing them to overtake the lead until HCU tied it at 22, forcing a UIW timeout. The Huskies took two more points out of the timeout on their way to a 25-22 set-three win, taking a 2-1 advantage.

SET FOUR: The Huskies grabbed an early lead again, starting the set on a 4-1 run, before UIW took the lead at 10-9. Another 4-0 run, fueled by three straight attack errors from HCU, allowed the Cardinals to build their lead to 14-10. Rogers notched two more aces, her seventh and eighth of the match, to give the Cardinals a 21-15 lead. UIW closed out the set on an 8-1 run, winning 25-16 to force a fifth set.

SET FIVE: It was all Cardinals in the fifth set, as UIW opened with a dominant 7-0 run. The Huskies only managed to get within six points as the Cardinals cruised to a 15-7 set-five win to take the match.

Notables:

• Grimm had her best defensive showing, posting a career-high 12 blocks, including three block solos and 13 block assists. She added six digs and six kills as well. 

• Lilly Roach posted a career-best seven blocks.

• The Cardinals recorded 17 blocks as a team, their season-best. 

• Allison finished just a kill shy of a triple-double, recording nine kills, 29 assists and 17 digs for her 13th double-double of the season. 

• Vanessa Eregie led the team, hitting .483 on the night with a season-high 14 kills.

• Tu'ufuli led the team with 16 kills for her 18th match this season, hitting in double digits.

• Rogers posted a career-high eight aces, adding 24 digs and nine assists. She recorded five of her eight aces in the opening set alone. With the performance, she is now tied for eighth in the single-season service aces record in the Division I era.

• Four Cardinals were in double-digit digs, with Bella Ceja and Teddy-Raye Ewers joining Allison and Rogers.

The Cardinals return home on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 1 p.m. to host the Huskies, beginning their final homestand of the regular season.

FOLLOW ALONG

For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics, visit uiwcardinals.com, follow the Cardinals on X @UIWAthletics, and on Instagram @uiw_athletics.   

Follow the team on X @UIWVolleyball and on Instagram @uiw_volleyball.