CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – In the final week of the regular season, Southland Conference champion Texas A&M-Corpus Christi heads out on the road to take on Lamar and Houston Baptist in search of a second consecutive undefeated conference season.
The Islanders (19-7, 14-0) face Lamar on Thursday night at 7 p.m. before squaring off against Houston Baptist at 11 a.m. on Saturday. In each of the previous matchups with the Cardinals and Huskies, the Islanders emerged winners with a 3-0 sweep of Lamar and 3-1 victory over HBU.
ISLANDERS INSIGHT
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi swept the Southland Conference weekly awards as
Morgan Carlson picked up the offensive honors with a 39-kill week and
Kate Klepetka earned defensive recognition with 51 digs in 10 sets.
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Madi Fitzsimmons leads the Southland, hitting .392 in conference matches.
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Brittany Gilpin picked up her 12th double-double of the season with 11 kills and 10 digs against Nicholls. She ranks third in league play with 3.57 kills per set.
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Kristyn Nicholson continues to lead the league at the service line with 46 aces on the year. Nicholson has also orchestrated the most dynamic attack as the Islanders hit .293 in conference matches and lead the league in kills.
• Klepetka continues to lead the Southland averaging 5.19 digs per set.
The Islanders have already clinched the top seed at next week's Southland Conference Tournament. The Blue and Green will return to Conway, Ark., in search of their second straight title run.
LAMAR LOOK
• The Cardinals currently sit seventh in the conference standings at 6-8 in league matches.
• Lamar outside Chelsea Grant leads the Southland with 382 kills. She averages a league-best 3.82 kills per set.
• The Cardinals boast the second-best offense in the league behind the Islanders, hitting .222 in conference matches.
• While strong offensively, Lamar ranks 11th in the Southland defensively. The Cardinals allow opponents to hit .234 in conference matches.
SCOUTING HUSKIES
• A week ago Houston Baptist appeared to have a top three seed at the Southland Conference Tournament locked up, but now sit in fourth. Central Arkansas and Northwestern State sit just a game back of the Huskies.
• Bailey Banks leads the Huskies averaging a whopping 4.10 kills per set in Southland matches.
• The Huskies rank fifth in both hitting percentage and opponent hitting percentage.
TOURNEY TIME
Following the weekend, the Islanders will head to Central Arkansas for the 2016 Southland Conference Tournament.
