THIBODAUX - The Nicholls State University women's volleyball team (13-12, 5-7 Southland Conference) concludes the road portion of their 2010 schedule when the Colonels  visit Texas State (15-11, 8-4 Southland Conference) on Thursday and Texas-Arlington (12-14, 6-6 Southland Conference) on Saturday.

Nicholls heads into this weekend's competition looking to help solidify their standings in the 2010 Southland Conference Tournament race.  The Colonels begin the weekend holding a 1.0 match lead for the eighth and final tournament spot.  With four matches left in the regular season, the third through tenth place teams in the league are just 4.0 matches apart.

The Colonels need one more victory to surpass their overall win total from 2009 and record their best win total since a 19-win season in 2002.  Nicholls needs two more victories to surpass their 2009 conference win total.

However, the Colonels will face a pair of tough challenges this weekend as they look to snap a two-match losing skid.  Texas State enters the weekend ranked third in the league with an 8-4 conference record.  Meanwhile, the Mavericks of UT Arlignton enter the weekend in a three-way tie with McNeese State and Sam Houston State for fifth in the league standings, just 1.0 match ahead of the Colonels.

First serve between the Colonels and Bobcats, originally scheduled for 6:30 p.m., has been moved up to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday in San Marcos.  Nicholls will then head to Texas-Arlington for a 2 p.m. first serve on Saturday against the Mavericks.

After concluding the road portion of their 2010 schedule this weekend, the Colonels will return home to wrap up the regular season with a two-match homestand against Central Arkansas on Nov. 11 and Northwestern State Nov. 13.