Final Stats HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Although the Nicholls State University women's volleyball team fell in straight sets to the Sam Houston State Bearkats, the Colonels have already secured a spot in the Southland Conference Tournament in two weeks by virtue of Lamar's loss on Thursday to Central Arkansas.

With the loss the Colonels fall to 10-18 on the season and 5-12 in Southland Conference play.

Nicholls owns the tiebreaker over Lamar with its two wins over the Lady Cardinals this season, and with three matches left to play if Lamar were to win out would still not be able to overtake the Colonels in the standings.

Nicholls had three players finish with six kills on the day, as Jessica Addicks hit .455, Sarah Terry hit .250 and Jennifer Brandt hit .152 as the trio combined for just four errors on the afternoon.

Nancy Taylor had 25 assists and seven digs on the morning, while Jeanne Logarbo had 12 digs to lead the squad followed by Kathryn Stock and Jennifer Dunn's nine each.

The Bearkats were unstoppable offensively, as Sam Houston State hit .314 as a team with no less than 16 kills in all three-sets.

The first set was the most competitive set of the three, as there were five ties and two lead changes in the frame as the Colonels were close late down by one with the score 21-20. Sam Houston State rattled off three straight points to go up 24-20 before winning 25-21.

In the second the Bearkats used a 10-0 run to take a 12-3 lead and did not look back as they held the Colonels to just 13 points to win 25-13.

Sam Houston State jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the third and the closest the Colonels would get to the Bearkats in the set was four points. With the score 12-7, Sam Houston outscored Nicholls 8-3 to take a 20-10 lead, getting to 24 points before Nicholls scored five consecutive to make it 24-16. The Bearkats ended that run on the next play to end the match 25-16.

Nicholls will return to action next Saturday, closing out the regular season by taking on the Southeastern Louisiana Lady Lions in Hammond.