THIBODAUX, La. – After splitting the first six matches of the 2015 season, the Nicholls State University women's volleyball team will see their next action a bit closer to home as they face the AllState Sugar Bowl Collegiate Classic, hosted by Tulane at the Devlin Fieldhouse in New Orleans.
 
The Colonels (3-3) will open the tournament against North Carolina State (5-1) at 2 p.m. on Friday, before taking on the host Green Wave (1-2) later that night at 7 p.m. Nicholls will close out the weekend against TCU (5-1) at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
 
The Red and Grey are coming off of a 1-2 weekend in Lafayette at the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Volleyball Classic. The Colonels dropped consecutive hard-fought five-set matches against Houston and Louisiana-Lafayette before sweeping Jackson State in the finale.
 
As a team, Nicholls ranks eighth in the nation in service aces per set (2.17) and 14^th in total service aces (52). Freshman outside hitter Anna Niederhauser leads the Colonels in both categories, ranking sixth in the country in aces per set (0.67) and seventh in total aces (16). Niederhauser leads the Southland Conference in both aces and aces per set. Junior outside hitter Kayla Mashburn leads the league in a number of categories this season, including attacks per set (11.17), total attacks (268), kills per set (3.96) and kills (95).
 
North Carolina State ranks just above the Colonels nationally at fifth in aces per set (2.29) and boast a stingy defense, ranking 10^th in the country in opponent hitting percentage (0.110). The Wolfpack is coming off of a 2-1 weekend, with a loss to Ole Miss before victories over Jacksonville and Delaware.
 
Tulane had a rough start to its 2015 campaign, losing to Montana State, 3-1, and Sam Houston State, 3-0, but the Green Wave are coming off of a 3-0 sweep over Prairie View A&M.
 
TCU opened the year with five straight victories, before a loss to #23 San Diego in its most recent match. A sound defensive team, the Horned Frogs rank ninth in the nation in blocks per set (3.17). Sophomore middle blocker Regan McGuire ranks third in the country with an average of 1.83 blocks per set.
 
Mashburn leads Nicholls offensively with 95 kills this season. Senior setter Alyse Barclay paces the squad with 137 assists on the year. Barclay is coming off of a career-high 47 assists against the Ragin' Cajuns over the weekend. Sophomore libero Stephanie Tobison leads the team with 68 digs, followed closely by Niederhauser, who has 63. Sophomore middle hitter Emily Weimer has a team-high 15 blocks.
 
The Colonels will face the AllState Sugar Bowl Collegiate Classic this weekend before traveling to Texas for the Flo Hyman Collegiate Cup, hosted by Houston.
 
Visit geauxcolonels.com for live stats, video and the most up-to-date information on Nicholls volleyball.