THIBODAUX - The Nicholls State University women's soccer team (6-2-1) will try to snap a 21-match conference winless streak this weekend when the Colonels hit the road to open the 2010 Southland Conference season at Lamar (2-6-1) on Friday and McNeese State (3-7-0) on Sunday.

After opening the season with eight consecutive matches away from Thibodaux, the Colonels hosted their first on campus match of the regular season, claiming a 6-2 win over Grambling, on Sunday only to open the 2010 Southland Conference season with a two-match road trip.  The weekend contests at Lamar and McNeese conclude a season-opening 11-match stretch that included 10 matches away from Thibodaux.

Fortunately, the Colonels have gotten comfortable on the road, compiling a 5-2-1 record in contests played away from Thibodaux.  Nicholls' six wins have already set a new single season school wins record, surpassing the old mark of four set in 2003 and reached again in 2006 and 2009.

The Colonels now enter conference play looking to snap a 21-match winless streak in league play.  Although the Colonels battled Texas-San Antonio to a 1-1 tie in 2009, Nicholls has not picked up a victory against league competition since a 4-1 win over Lamar on Oct. 21, 2007.

That's something Nicholls will hope to change on Friday against Lamar.  The Colonels enter the 7 p.m. kickoff against the Cardinals look to keep up the momentum from the best start in school history.  However, Lamar is playing stronger than their 2-6-1 record indicates.  The Cardinals schedule to date has featured one-goal losses to Louisiana Tech and UL-Lafayette as well as losses to regional powers North Texas, Texas-El Paso and New Mexico State.

The Colonels are led by one of the most consistent scoring attacks in the country.  Senior forward Kaity Mattsson enters the week ranked in the top three in the nation in four major offensive category.  The Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada native ranks second in the nation in goals (11), points (25) and points per game average (2.78) and ranks third in goals per game average (1.22).  Halfway through the 2010 season, Mattsson has already set new single season school record for goals scored.

As a team, the Colonels boast a top-20 offense, ranking 19th in the nation with a 2.56 goals/game average.  

After their match with the Cardinals, the Colonels will return to Louisiana to take on McNeese State on Sunday before returning to Thibodaux for a three-match homestand, their longest of the season, beginning with an Oct. 10 contest against in-state rival and defending Southland Conference Tournament champion Southeastern Louisiana.