Aug. 25, 2007

Box Score

AUBURN, Ala. - After dropping the first set, the Colonels took two straight sets from the Tennessee State Tigers. However, the attack errors that mounted in the last two sets for the team eventually gave the Tigers the 3-2 win putting Nicholls at 0-1 on the season in the first day of Auburn's War Eagle Invitational.

The Tigers (1-0) coasted to the first set victory 30-20 with a .297 hitting percentage, while the Colonels struggled with errors as the team amassed 13 errors with only 12 kills in the set. Nicholls was able to correct its problems in the second and third sets, winning both 30-26, but Tennessee State would go on to play nearly flawless ball with only seven attack errors to Nicholls' 18.

"We had a great opportunity to win the match, but we started too slow in the fourth set and we couldn't recover," Laird said. "There was a lot of nervous energy early on, but the team did a good job of working through that and winning sets two and three."

Senior Colonel Kindra Halverson led all players in kills with a game high 18, followed by Rachel Spreen with 10. Chelsea Dockrey and Aaliyah Muhammad finished the game with nine a piece. Amy Whitehead led all setters with a game high 49 assists. Kelly Davis led the Tigers with 13 kills, followed by Endia Olivier who had 12. Three other players for the Tigers had six kills a piece

"We showed a lot of promise tonight, and the team was pleased with the way they fought back during the match," Laird said. "We know what we have to work on, and we still have a great opportunity to turn it around and play better Saturday."

In today's action, the Colonels will first take on home-standing Auburn at Noon, with the second game of the day at 4 p.m. against the Troy Trojans. Both games will be available through GameTracker at geauxcolonels.com.