Final Stats NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Nicholls volleyball team dropped a 3-0 match to the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks 25-19, 25-23, 25-23 Saturday afternoon in Nacogdoches.

The Colonels (16-10, 3-7 SLC) found solid play in the second and third sets, forcing 17 ties and eight lead changes, but the team couldn't overcome the Ladyjacks (12-13, 5-5 SLC) and fell in straight sets.

Sarah Terry led the Colonels with 13 kills on 27 swings, while Jessica Addicks hit a blistering .588 with 11 kills to just one error. Nancy Taylor finished with 36 assists to lead the team, as Jennifer Brandt let the team defensively with 13 digs.

Nicholls came out sluggish in the first set, allowing SFA to jump out to a 12-5 lead early en route to the first set win. But the Colonels seemed to wake up in the second set going point for point with the Ladyjacks, and began to find its rhythm late holding a 21-19 lead. Nicholls would go up 23-21 in that same set, but SFA rattled off four straight to win 25-23, dealing the Colonels a crushing second set defeat.

The third set proved to be a tough one for the Colonels to get a hold of, needing to really the entire set to keep pace with the SFA attack. Down 11-7, Nicholls scored six straight to take a 13-11 lead. It would be a short lead as SFA scored three of the next four points to tie the game at 14-14.

Another two point cushion came from an Amanda Newlin kill and SFA attack error, and again the Colonels would get to the 20-point mark first after scoring four of the next seven points to take a 20-18 lead. Unfortunately it would prove to be another lead lost, as SFA scored three consecutive points, all kills by SFA's Mary Bottles, and regained the lead 21-20.

The Colonels and Ladyjacks traded the next four points making the score 23-22 SFA, but an Newlin attack error put SFA one point from sweeping the match. Rachel Yezak earned the last of her five kills on the night to make the score 24-23, but on the next play Paige Holland ended the match with a kill of her own.

The Ladyjacks got a much more balanced effort than the Colonels, led by Jill Ivy's 10 kills, Leslie Jackson's 9 and Katzy Randall and Sabrina Burns eight kills each. Holland connected on 34 assists for SFA, while Madison Hanlan dug 21 of SFA's 56 digs.

SFA held Nicholls to just .164 hitting as a team and 54-percent on side out chances, while the Ladyjacks hit .220 as a unit and was 63-percent on side outs.

The Colonels will return home next weekend, hosting the first of four consecutive matches in Stopher Gym, beginning with a match against the McNeese State Cowgirls.