THIBODAUX, La. -- The Nicholls State University volleyball program (11-13, 5-8 Southland) composed a transcendent effort in Thursday evening's league match against in-state rival New Orleans (12-16, 5-9 Southland), overcoming a six-match losing skid as the Colonels powered past the Privateers in a five-set barn burner. The win pushes the Red & Gray back into serious contention for the Southland Conference Tournament, jumping UNO in the standings to the eighth overall seed with just three league matches remaining.

KEY STORYLINES & STATISTICS (W 3-2)
-- The first set alone covered the cost of admission, as the Colonels edged out New Orleans for a 33-31 victory in what currently serves as the Red & Gray's longest set on the year. The Privateers rebounded across the ensuing two sets, though, narrowly squeezing past Nicholls in back-to-back two-point decisions (25-23 & 27-25). Despite a looming six-match losing streak, the Colonels showcased late-season form in two more back-and-forth periods, initally knocking off UNO 25-21 in the fourth before a number of clutch plays sealed the fifth & the eventual match victory, 15-13.
-- In what should come as no surprised anymore, the Red & Gray offensive juggernaut once again surged behind the effort of a pair of dominant sophomores: OH Emily Gauthreaux & RS Katie Jones, who racked up a combined 41 kills on the night. Jones finished with a career-best 20 kills, posting a decisive .378 hitting percentage along the way, while Gauthreaux's 21 serves as her second-highest for the season (24 vs. Bethune-Cookman).
-- Notably, Gauthreaux also closed out the win as the only Colonel with a double-double, notching 10 digs to go along with her team-high 21 kills.
-- After a relatively rough showing last match against Northwestern State, junior S Meghan Wozniak impressed behind a 59-assist performance, good for second-best on the year (65 vs. Bethune-Cookman).
-- Sophomore MB Aaliyah Burras registered one of her best matches of the year offensively, tying a season-high mark with 15 kills while posting an nigh-unstoppable .536 hitting percentage. The New Orleans native also contributed three blocks on the night, a team-best.
-- On the defensive end, the Colonels proved especially resilient as a team, generating four different players with double-digit dig numbers; senior L Emily Venable paced the group with a squad-high 14 while sophomore DS Kylie Lockhart (12), senior OH Jennifer Olivarez (11) & Gauthreaux (10) each contributed a significant amount.

UP NEXT
With the three-match home stand concluded, the Colonels turn their attention to the final week of competition within the Southland Conference, traveling to in-state foes McNeese (Saturday, Nov. 9) & Southeastern Louisiana (Tuesday, Nov. 12) before wrapping up the regular season with Senior Day against HBU on Thursday, Nov. 14.

STAY SOCIAL
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