THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University volleyball team prepares to host Southland foes Houston Christian and UIW on Oct. 20 and 22 inside Stopher Gym.

NICHOLLS COURT (4-17, 1-8 SLC):
The Colonels are coming off tough losses last week and are looking to get back on track. The Nicholls offense features five individuals that have crossed the century mark in total kills. Senior outside hitters Katie Jones and Devon Bright have claimed 189 and 172, while sophomore outside hitter Trinity Vinzant has earned 170. Senior middle blocker S'mara Riley has 127, and freshman outside hitter Mackenzie Pryor recorded 12 in last week's matches to bring her season total to 109. Bright and Vinzant have added 27 and 25 service aces to the fold. The Colonel attack is paced nicely by a trio of setters. Senior Lilly Bivens leads the way with 411 assists, while sophomore Kendall Battistella and freshman Taylor Heeb add 197 and 152.

The Colonel defense is anchored by Riley, who is the conference's third most efficient blocker, posting 82 total blocks to average 1.08 per set. Jones and freshman middle blocker Paris Dixon add 56 blocks apiece to the unit. Sophomore Kadie Becnel leads the team in digs, registering 289. Vinzant adds 223, while Bright and Bivens add 177 and 146.

HCU COURT (15-7, 7-2 SLC):
The Huskies are coming off a week that saw them lose a match against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and win a match against UNO. HCU posts the league's best-hitting percentage at .234. The Huskies are led by senior right-side hitter Anna Gadway who has 244 kills thus far and hold the conference's seventh-best hitting percentage at .281. Junior outside hitter Sara Arroyo has registered 235 kills and has the eighth-best average at 3.01 per set. Sophomore middle blocker Audrey Pearce has added 164 total kills, while senior middle blocker Jada Allen and freshman outside hitter Shelby O'Neal add 157 and 155, respectively. Freshman defensive specialist Hazel Allen and Pearce add 23 and 22 service aces to the point total. The Husky offense is paced by freshman setter Grace McLaughlin who has dished out 730 assists thus far and allowed HCU to be one of three SLC schools to post over 12 assists per set (12.32).

HCU presents a stout defense and is second in the league in opponents hitting percentage allowing teams to hit at just a .173 clip. Their unit features four individuals with at least 140 digs, starting with junior defensive specialist Kaley Feris who has 300, followed by McLaughlin (234), Gadway (169), and Hazel Allen has claimed 149. Pearce and Jada Allen lead the squad in blocks with 85 and 55, respectively.

UIW COURT (4-15, 3-6 SLC):
The Cardinals are coming off a week that saw them drop a match against McNeese and defeat Southeastern. The UIW offense is led by five players who have accumulated more than 100 kills thus far. Sophomore outside hitter Risa Sena and junior middle blocker Annamarie Alvarez have registered 146 and 144, while outside hitters junior Allison Palmi, freshman Kyla Malone, and junior Jacqueline Arrington add 133, 117, and 108, respectively. The Cardinals' attack is paced nicely by graduate student setter Taylor Stoops, who has claimed 500 assists. Stoops also leads the team in service aces, adding 32 to the scoring.

The UIW defense features five individuals that have recorded at least 120 digs. Junior defensive specialist Audrey Patton has claimed 150, while junior libero Mariela Nieto and Palmi have tallied 132 apiece. Risa and Stoops have 128 and 120 up to this point. Arrington leads the unit in blocks with 62, while freshman middle blocker Kade Thomas and Alvarez add 44 and 41, respectively. 

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