Thibodaux – Riding one of the longest winning streaks to date, the Nicholls State women's volleyball team returns home this week hosting the 2011 PRO-MAG Bayou Invitational this Friday and Saturday. The host-Colonels welcome Alabama A&M and Grambling of the SWAC and UL-Monroe of the Sun Belt.

The Colonels are coming off two straight-set victories over Grambling Monday and Alcorn State Wednesday night. Against the Tigers, Nicholls held Grambling to nine points in the first set, and Alcorn State to six in the last and is the eighth time this year the team has held an opponent to ten or less points in a set.

Overall the Colonels have outscored its last eight opponents 654-417, and have swept six of its last eight matches.

Statistically, the Colonels are tops in the conference in opposing hitting percentage (.131) and service aces (86), earning a helping hand in that stat against Alcorn was Jennifer Brandt who had 15 straight against the Braves. 15 is a new Southland Conference record, breaking the old record of 11 by Moxie Synclair while at McNeese in 1989. In the match, the Colonels had more aces (31) than kills (30). The Colonels are second in the Southland in blocks averaging 2.12 per set and second in hitting percentage at .230.

The Colonels boast the league leader in hitting percentage in Sarah Terry, who has been on a tear the last three matches totaling 29 kills and only two errors with a .529 hitting percentage. Her .363 for the season is nearly.4 points higher than Amari Deardorff from Sam Houston State.

With adding 15 more service aces to her credit, Brandt is tops in the SLC in aces this year with 25 total, averaging .66 aces per set.

The tournament begins Friday afternoon with Grambling-Alabama A&M at 3 p.m. as Nicholls takes on ULM in the nightcap at 7 p.m. There will be four matches Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. with Grambling-ULM, Nicholls-Alabama A&M at noon, Alabama A&M-ULM at 2:30 p.m. and Nichols-Grambling 5 p.m. Each Nicholls match will be live streamed at www.ThibodauxOnline.com as well as live stats provided at http://www.sidearmstats.com/nicholls/wvball/index.htm