BEAUMONT, Texas - The Marist volleyball team began its stretch in the Lamar Invitational with a 3-0 loss (25-12, 25-23, 27-25) to Alabama Birmingham and a 3-1 win over Texas Southern (25-19, 25-21, 19-25, 25-14) on Friday. The matches were the Red Foxes' first of the 2015 regular season.

UAB 3, Marist 0 (25-12, 25-23, 27-25)

Sophomore Kelsey Ediger posted team highs with eight kills and a career-high 11 digs, while eight service aces as a team kept Marist in the contest. Junior Amanda Schlegel racked up a double-double with 15 assists and 10 digs.

Marist found itself down early in the opening set, but managed to build momentum by scoring three of the last five points in the frame.

Neither side trailed by more than three points in the second set. Marist scored three points with Schlegel serving to grab a 20-18 lead, but the Blazers stormed out to a 5-0 run to close out the second set.  

Ediger kept the third set close with a pair of kills and a service ace that put the Red Foxes up by one, but UAB ultimately fought back after the score had been tied 10 times in the frame.

UAB owned a 43-31 advantage in kills and had 54 digs in its first win of 2015. Redshirt junior Erin Schroer put up a strong defensive effort with six of the Blazers' eight service aces alongside 15 digs.

Marist 3, Texas Southern 1 (25-19, 25-21, 19-25, 25-14)

In the first win at Marist for first-year head coach Lauren Amundson, the Red Foxes owned a 45-37 edge in kills. Ediger sprawled for 10 digs while classmate Ashton Korona posted career highs of nine kills and six blocks.

Marist ripped off 15 consecutive points on the serving of Schlegel to begin the final set and deny any chance of a comeback by the Tigers. The run was highlighted by six kills from Ediger.

Marist led the opening set, 9-2, before the Tigers mounted a comeback to tie the score at 12, but the Red Foxes finished on a high note. 10 of the matches' 15 ties came in the second set. Three of the last six Marist points came by forcing attack errors, as the Red Foxes gained a commanding 2-0 advantage.

Texas Southern led by as many as six in the third set, which it took 25-19. Sophomore Kailynn Gray led the Tigers on the defensive side with 15 digs while junior Kali Fluke chipped in a game-high nine blocks, including five solo efforts.

The Red Foxes will go up against the host Cardinals on the final day of the Lamar Invitational at 2 p.m. tomorrow.