Match Info

THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University women's volleyball team closes out a five-match road swing this weekend as the Colonels travel to take on the Lamar Lady Cardinals and Sam Houston State Bearkats this Thursday night and Saturday morning.
 
Nicholls is heading into the final weeks of the season, as the squad has three matches remaining on the year and will return home next Saturday night to host McNeese State for Senior Night. But before returning home the Colonels go into the weekend hoping to snap an eight-match losing streak as they take on the Lady Cardinals at 7 p.m. Thursday night and Bearkats in an 11 a.m. tilt on Saturday.
 
Links to live stats and video, if available, will be provided on the home page at geauxcolonels.com.
 
The Opening Serve
The Nicholls State University women's volleyball team closes out a five-match road swing this weekend, traveling to face the Lamar Lady Cardinals and Sam Houston State Bearkats this Thursday night and Saturday morning. The Colonels will play their last two matches on the road before returning home to close out the 2013-14 year against McNeese State. The Colonels are looking to snap their eight-match losing skid this week, although they came very close to doing so last Saturday in Houston taking the HBU Huskies to five sets before dropping the set by just two points.
 
Almost at full strength for the final handful of games this season, the Colonels put together one of their best efforts since early October nearly pulling off the upset against the Huskies last week, as the team had two double-doubles, three players with double-digit kills and four with double-digit digs. Leading the way was Kayla Burling who had 21 kills and 14 digs and hit .367 against HBU, while Kayla Mashburn returned to form with 20 kills and five service aces. Burling finished the week with 31 kills for a 3.88 kills per set average, as she is currently fourth in the league in that category and points per set averaging just over four. Mashburn is fourth in aces per set and 81st in the nation.
 
Another standout offensive performance came from Mikayla Miller who finished with 11 kills, her first for double-digits, and hit .250. Miller hit 1.000 in the first set alone and continued to play well defensively as she finished the week with 10 total blocks (3 BS, 7 BA). Ainsley Marroccoli and Alyse Barclay each finished tied for the team lead in the two matches with 37 assists each, as Marroccoli earned a double-double with her 27 assists and 11 digs.
 
Kalynn Egea continued to hit right around her average as she finished with finished with 32 digs on the week for a 4.00 average. She remains seventh in the conference in digs per set with a 4.07 average.
 
The Opposition
Lamar
The Cardinals come into the match this weekend losers of their last four matches, including dropping a pair to Central Arkansas and Oral Roberts in Beaumont. The Lady Cardinals are in the midst of a four-match which continues with the Colonels on Thursday night. Lamar is fifth in the conference in blocks per set averaging over two, as Chelsea Grant leads the league with just over one per set.
 
Sam Houston State
Last year's reigning regular season champs are looking up at the league leaders after dropping getting swept by ORU and falling to UCA in four last weekend. The Bearkats still boast the top kill producer in Deveney Wells-Gibson who averages over 4.5 kills and five points per set.
 
Series Records
Lamar won the first meeting this season and owns a 28-7 advantage in meetings, while Sam Houston State also won the first meeting in three and holds a 38-6 advantage in all-time meetings.