University of the Incarnate Word Athletics

SAN ANTONIO -- The University of the Incarnate Word volleyball team defeated Northwestern State in four sets on Saturday afternoon to move to 2-0 in Southland Conference play. The Cardinals had their second-highest hitting percentage of the season, with 10 players recording at least two kills as UIW tied its season high with 64 kills.

SET ONE: The Cardinals dominated the opening set, going on a 10-2 run to take a 13-6 lead. Sofia Grimm recorded her first solo block of the match to send UIW to the media timeout, 15-9. The Cardinals continued to control the set, extending their lead to 20-12. Vanessa Ergie then notched her fourth kill of the set to force a Demon timeout. UIW closed out the opening frame, 25-15, with Ergie leading the team with five kills, hitting .625. 

SET TWO: UIW carried its momentum into set two, opening with a 3-0 run before NSU responded to tie the game at three. The Cardinals answered with a 4-0 run of their own, forcing the Demons to take their first timeout of the set with UIW leading 7-3. NSU kept pace with the Cardinals through the middle of the set, trading points down the stretch, but UIW went on a 6-2 run to secure the set, 25-17, and take a 2-0 lead.

SET THREE: UIW got off to another hot start in third set, opening with a 5-0 run before NSU responded with a pair of runs to take its first lead of the match, 11-10. The Demons carried a 15-12 advantage into the media timeout. The Cardinals pulled it within one at 17-16 before a kill from Alana Kolb and an NSU attacking error gave UIW the lead back. The Demons answered kills down the stretch to take the second set, 25-23, and force a fourth set.

SET FOUR: Looking to close out the match, the Cardinals traded points with the Demons putting together a 4-0 run to take an early 7-5 lead and force a NSU timeout. Both teams continued to battle, keeping the set close heading into the media timeout with the Cardinals taking the slight advantage, 15-12. Teddy-Raye Ewers recorded her fourth kill of the match, followed by a solo block from Kolb, to extend UIW's lead to 19-17 and force another Demon timeout. The Cardinals closed out the match with a 6-3 run, securing the set, 25-20, and the four-set victory. 

Notables:

• Victoria Hall a career-best 37 assists and 12 digs for her first double-double of the season.

• Tu'ufuli surpassed her previous season high with 18 kills, moving to 22 kills away from the 1,000-kill milestone.

• Victoria Sanchez made her season debut, recording 13 assists and seven digs. 

• Kolb set a season high with four kills, hitting .571. 

The Cardinals will hit the road for the first time in conference play to take on UTRGV on Oct. 1 at 12 p.m.

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.