Final Stats Box Score and Play-by-Play

THIBODAUX -  The Nicholls State University women's volleyball team (11-9, 3-4 Southland Conference) rallied from an opening set defeat, but it wasn't enough on Friday night as the Colonels fell to the Texas A&M - Corpus Christi Islanders (9-11, 3-4 Southland) 3-1 by scores of 11-25, 23-25, 25-22, 14-25.

The Islanders started strong, hitting an impressive .359 in the opening set.  The Islanders began the match with a 7-0 run to open the first set and never looked back en route to the 25-11 win to take a 1-0 lead.

Nicholls rallied in the second, battling AMCC through seven tie scores and three lead changes.  The Colonels were the first to 20, taking a 20-18 lead on a kill by sophomore middle blocker Jessica Addicks, but the Islanders rallied by closing the set with a 7-3 run to take a 25-23 win and a 2-0 lead.

The Colonels finally got on the board in the most hotly-contested set of the night.  Nicholls battled the Islanders through 12 ties and five lead changes, but the Colonels prevailed by closing the frame with a 6-3 run after the Islanders took a 19-18 lead.  Sophomore outside hitter Jennifer Brandt tallied eight of her team-high 18 kills to lead Nicholls to a 25-22 win and reduce the Islander lead to 2-1.

However, the Islanders came out strong in the fourth set, looking to avoid a decisive fifth set.  AMCC opened the fourth with an 10-6 run en route to a 25-14 win.

The Colonels were led by Brandt's 18 kills on the night.  Brandt also totaled 11 digs for a double-double.  Meanwhile, junior right side hitter Rachel Yezak recorded her third consecutive double-double, and her team-leading eighth of the season with 11 kills and 16 digs.  Junior libero Danielle Daigle turned in 21 digs, and sophomore middle blocker Jasmine Harris had a hand in five of the Colonels' 7.0 team blocks to lead the Nicholls defense.

The Colonels face a quick turnaround as Nicholls will return to action on Saturday at 2 p.m. to host Texas-San Antonio