Final Stats 1 | Final Stats 2 NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Nicholls State University women's volleyball team fell to North Carolina State, 3-1, in their opening match at the AllState Sugar Bowl Collegiate Classic, before a tough 3-0 loss at the hands of Tulane in the nightcap.
 
MATCH 1
 
The Wolfpack (6-1) jumped on top early in the opening match, taking the first set 25-15. The Colonels (3-5) fought back in the second, securing a 25-22 set victory to tie the match. North Carolina State regained the momentum with a 25-12 win in the third set. Nicholls battled to the end, pushing the Wolfpack in a contentious fourth, but North Carolina State squeezed out a 25-23 victory to seal the match.
 
Individual statistics from the match were not available at press time.
 
MATCH 2
 
The Colonels held leads of 19-17 and 23-22, over the Green Wave in the first set, but a late rally allowed Tulane to steal the set, 26-24. Nicholls held its own against the Green Wave in the second, but ultimately fell, 25-19. Tulane cruised in the final set, 25-11, winning the match.
 
Kayla Mashburn led the Colonels offensively with 14 kills, while Alyse Barclay earned 32 assists in the loss. Anna Niederhauser finished with a team-high 11 digs.
 
Nicholls has battled some of the top collegiate programs early in the 2015 season, holding its own despite a number of injuries to key players. Preseason All-Southland First Team selection Kaci Eaton has yet to see action this season, and middle blocker Tijana Sisic, middle blocker Mikayla Miller and setter Ainsley Marroccoli have also missed time with injuries.
 
The Colonels will battle TCU at 2 p.m. on Saturday in the team's final match of the weekend.
 
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