LAKE CHARLES—McNeese volleyball suffered a 3-1 (25-22, 23-25, 21-25, 20-25) Southland Conference setback Tuesday night at the hands of Incarnate Word in the only home match for the Cowgirls this week and the first of three matches this week.
 
The match marked the end of the first half of conference play as the Cowgirls will begin the second half at Houston Baptist Thursday night and at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Saturday. This will be the first matches against both teams this season.
 
McNeese couldn't find an answer for the UIW tandem of Bethany Clapp and Julia Monday, who accounted for 35 of the Cardinals 54 kills. Clapp picked up a match high 20 and Monday recorded 15.
 
The Cowgirls picked up where they left off from Saturday's win at Southeastern La. to take the opening set 25-22 but the Cardinals took advantage of two Cowgirl errors and a service ace to break a 22-22 tie late in set two to pick up the 25-23 win to even the match at one set apiece.
 
UIW jumped out to a 15-9 lead in set three before McNeese outscored the Cardinals 6-2 to cut the lead to 17-15. UIW would end the set on an 8-5 run to take a one set lead with the 25-20 win.
 
McNeese used two blocks and two UIW blocking errors in the fourth set to take an early 4-2 lead. The Cowgirls couldn't hold the lead as both teams traded points until Clapp served for three straight points with the match tied 13 to put UIW ahead 16-13.
 
Two kills by Katelyn Elliott brought McNeese to within one point (16-15) but UIW answered with three more straight points to take a 19-15 lead and one they never gave up. Monday put the finishing touches on the match with her 15th kill for match point.
 
Elliott led McNeese with 12 kills and she was joined in double figure kills by Ebony Lewis who had 11.
 
Angela McGownd and Keegan Nelms had double figure digs with 18 and 12, respectively while Amari Franklin dished out a match high 43 assists.
 
UIW was scrappy on defense the entire match and it showed with four players picking up double figure digs, led by 15 from Alyssa Carlin.
 
Both teams blocked well and got crucial points from blocks. UIW ended the match with 13 blocks while the Cowgirls picked up 12.