LAKE CHARLES - The Nicholls State University women's volleyball team (13-11, 5-6 Southland Conference)  will try to surpass its 2009 overall win total and continue to strengthen it's place in a crowded Southland Conference Tournament race when the Colonels head to McNeese State for a Saturday afternoon match with the Cowgirls (11-15, 5-6 Southland Conference).

A victory over the Cowgirls would give the Colonels their 14th win of the season, which would make it Nicholls' best single season wins total since the Colonels totaled 19 victories in 2002.

The Colonels head into Saturday's match looking to rebound from a hard-fought 3-1 loss at Lamar in the opener of a stretch of four consecutive matches away from home that saw 25 tie scores and ten lead changes.  The loss to the Cardinals dropped the Colonels from a four-way tie for fourth place in the tournament race into a three-way tie for sixth along with the Cowgirls, Texas-Arlington.

With five matches left in the regular season, the Colonels' magic number for clinching their third consecutive Southland Conference Tournament berth is down to five.  Any combination of Nicholls victories and losses by both Stephen F. Austin and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi that adds up to five will clinch a tournament berth for the Colonels.

Nicholls will also be looking to avenge a 3-2 loss at the hands of the Cowgirls on Sept. 25 in Thibodaux, but the Cowgirls figure to be well-motivated on Senior Day in their home finale.  McNeese State also enters the match with momentum, having cruised to a 3-0 win over Southeastern Louisiana on Thursday in their last match.

First serve is set for 2 p.m. in Lake Charles.   Following the match, the Colonels will return to action with road contests at Texas State and Texas-Arlington before returning home to conclude the regular season with matches against Central Arkansas on Nov. 11 and Northwestern State Nov. 13.