FORT WORTH, Texas -- Bolstered by an elite offensive effort highlighted by senior Emily Gauthreaux (31 kills) and freshman Paige Guidry (25 kills), the Nicholls State University indoor volleyball program (5-1, 0-0 SLC) composed an overall strong impression in the team's second preseason tournament -- The Cowtown Classic -- of the young 2021 campaign, initially falling to host TCU (3-2, 0-0 Big 12) in Thursday afternoon's opener before powering past both UMBC (1-6, 0-0 America East) and UTRGV (2-3, 0-0 WAC) across a Friday doubleheader, all at Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

Notably, Gauthreaux and fellow senior Kylie Lockhart, who wrapped up the three-match showcase with 38 digs to her name, managed to each secure recognition for their stellar performances throughout The Cowtown Classic, earning honors as All-Tournament selections.

KEY STORYLINES & STATISTICS
GAME ONE at TCU (L 0-3) -- Thursday, Sept. 2
-- Despite notable opposition in the opening set, the Red & Gray proved outgunned by the host Horned Frogs throughout the eventual straight-sets sweep, initially faltering by just a 25-20 margin before TCU secured more decisive victories in the second (25-13) and third frames (25-10).
-- Individually, no Colonel broke the double-digit kill plateau for the match, as Gauthreaux concluded the contest with a season-low eight. Additionally, Nicholls suffered similarly both setting and defensively, as freshman Brooke Weichbrodt only managed eight assists while senior Kylie Lockhart paced the squad with just seven digs.

GAME TWO vs. UMBC (W 3-1) -- Friday, Sept. 3
-- Despite struggles against host TCU still lingering, the Colonels bolted out of the gate in Friday afternoon's twin bill opener against UMBC, outworking the Retrievers in back-to-back sets (25-21, 25-14) to kick off the contest before sealing the eventual win via a solid showing in the fourth frame (25-21). As a group, the Red & Gray posted much more competitive numbers in virtually every category, dominating UMBC in both service aces (10-to-5) and blocks (10-to-2) while putting together a noticeable differential for overall hitting percentage (.260 vs. .237).
-- Individually, Guidry shined after a relatively quiet outing against the Horned Frogs earlier in the tournament, setting the tone for Nicholls offensively behind team-bests in both kills (16) and service aces (4), all while hitting a notable .239 for the match. Meanwhile, Gauthreaux fought her way into double-digit kills as well, generating 11 of her own.
-- Per the usual, both junior Lilly Bivens and Weichbrodt flew under the radar as the squads' top setters, tacking on 20 apiece for a combined 40 as a unit.
-- Defensively, Lockhart proved as stalwart as ever in the trenches, notching a season-high 19 digs as the Red & Gray's only double-digit dig performer; further, redshirt junior S'mara Riley set a new year-best as well, generating serious momentum for the Colonels behind eight total blocks.

GAME THREE vs. UTRGV (W 3-2) -- Friday, Sept. 3
-- Last, but certainly not least, the Red & Gray discovered the depths of their resolve in a purely back-and-forth tournament finale with UTRGV, initially jumping out to a quick two-set advantage (25-20, 25-19) before watching the Vaqueros claw their way back into the contest across the ensuing pair of frames (25-16, 25-22); in spite of the lost momentum, Nicholls proved resilient throughout the decisive fifth, pumping the gas from the get-go en route to an eventual 15-10 win and overall match victory.
-- Individually, the combined efforts of Gauthreaux, Riley and senior Aaliyah Burras revved the offensive engine across the five-set match, as the trio each posted double-digit kill figures for a joint 33 as a unit. In particular, Gauthreaux notched a highly effective statistical display, finishing with a blazing .440 hitting percentage -- just a single error -- while also racking up her second double-double of the season (12 kills/10 digs).
-- Bivens took the lead as the team's primary setter, concluding the match with a squad-best 27 assists, while Weichbrodt contributed a still-notable 20 of her own.
-- Defensively, Lockhart paced the Red & Gray with 12 digs while Gauthreaux and Bivens each tacked on 10 apiece, good for double-doubles on both accounts.
 
UP NEXT
Following a successful outing at The Cowtown Classic, the Red & Gray's preseason continues in yet-another tough tournament -- The Jax State Invitational, this time squaring off against Southern Mississippi, South Alabama and host Jacksonville State, set for Friday, Sept. 10 through Saturday, Sept. 11 in Jacksonville, Ala.

STAY SOCIAL
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