NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Nicholls State University volleyball team opened up with an impressive seven-point win over Stephen F. Austin, but the Ladyjacks rallied to take the next three as the Colonels stayed winless in conference with a 3-1 (18-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-21) setback on Saturday.
 
Kaci Eaton finished with a season-high 19 kills for the Colonels, who fell to 4-15 and 0-4 in league play. Jade Piper dished out a career-best 45 assists and Alexa Perry tallied 26 digs. Eaton and Piper both finished with double-doubles with 17 and 14 digs, respectively.
 
In the first set, Nicholls broke an 8-8 tie in the first with three straight points, highlighted by an ace by Perry. Kills by Jennifer Olivarez and Eaton then made the score 18-13 before Schwartz closed out the set with a kill for a 25-18 win. Schwartz had a solid outing for the Red and Gray, finishing with 14 kills.
 
In the second, an early 4-0 run by SFA (11-6, 4-0) gave the 'Jacks an 8-5 advantage. SFA led by five before Piper, making her first career start, dumped one over the net to bring Nicholls within one at 15-14. The Colonels tied it up at 17- and 18-all, but never regained the lead in the 25-21 loss, despite a match-best .275 hitting percentage.
 
Nicholls had its lowest hitting percentages of the day in the next two sets, hitting .125 and .163.  The third game saw seven ties and three lead changes, but most of it was in the early going. SFA used a 5-0 run to go up 14-10 in the third, and a 4-0 run gave SFA separation at 10-5 in the fourth en route to clinching the match.
 
Nicholls will return to action on Tuesday, Oct. 4 at Mississippi Valley State. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.