LAFAYETTE, La. – The Nicholls State University women's volleyball team pushed Houston to a pivotal fifth set, but came up two points shy in the opening match of the Sawyer Camillo Memorial Volleyball Classic, falling 3-2 on Friday night in Lafayette.
 
The Colonels (2-2) trailed 13-6 in the final set before battling their way back to 14-13, but the Cougars (2-2) earned the final point to escape with the win.
 
Nicholls claimed the opening set on Friday night, 25-22, narrowly holding off Houston. The Cougars responded with a tight victory of their own, taking the second, 25-19. Houston claimed the third set 25-18, and seemed to have control of the match, but Nicholls climbed its way back, turning the tables to take the fourth set, 25-19. The Colonels came out sluggish in the fifth, and their valiant ultimately efforts fell short.
 
Alyse Barclay shined in the loss, earning 12 digs and totaling 32 assists as the catalyst of the Nicholls offense. Kayla Mashburn finished with team-highs in both kills (18) and service aces (four). Anna Niederhauser paced the Colonels with 19 digs, followed closely by Stephanie Tobison, who had 15.
 
Despite the loss, Nicholls played a sound match, finishing with fewer attack errors, setting errors, service errors, block errors and ball handling errors than Houston. The Cougars owned all three of the major categories, totaling more digs, kills and assists than the Colonels.
 
Brookah Palmer led Houston with 22 kills and 12 digs. Keandra McCardell earned 34 assists and Olivia O'Dell finished with a team-leading 29 digs.
 
Nicholls will take on Louisiana-Lafayette at noon tomorrow, followed immediately by a matchup with Jackson State at 2 p.m.
 
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