BEAUMONT, Texas – The Nicholls State University volleyball team picked up a four-set victory, 25-22, 25-12, 23-25 25-19 behind an efficient offense and stout defense at Lamar on Tuesday night.

Early on, Lamar used a six-point run to take the lead, 11-8. Nicholls then runs off four straight points to regain the lead, 12-11. The teams then traded three-point runs to tie the set at 15. It remained a back-and-forth affair until the Colonels snatched four of the final five points to take the set 25-22.

In the second set, the Colonels were able to go on five separate three-point runs and a four-point run to run away with the set 25-12.

In the third stanza, the teams were knotted up at eight before the Cardinals went on a six-point scoring run to make the count 14-8 before the Colonels eventually responded with a four-point run to make the count 17-16, Cardinals. Lamar then goes on a three-point run to stretch the lead back to four and eventually take the set 25-23.

In the final frame, the Colonels jumped out to a 9-5 advantage, before eventually going on a three-point run to make the count 15-9. The Cardinals kept fighting, but the Colonels' offense was too much to handle, and Nicholls took the set 25-19.

The Red & Gray unit featured five individuals that recorded 11 or more points and hit a combined .250 or better for the third time this season. Leading the way offensively was a trio of outside hitters. Seniors Devon Bright and Katie Jones tallied 12 and 10 kills respectively. Sophomore Trinity Vinzant earned her team-high seventh double-double of the season recording 10 kills and a career-high 29 digs.

Senior middle blocker S'mara Riley finished the contest with nine kills. Freshmen, middle blocker Paris Dixon and outside hitter Mackenzie Pryor combined for 13 kills.  The Nicholls attack was paced by setters freshman Taylor Heeb (29 assists), and senior Lilly Bivens (18 assists).

Defensively, the unit tallied 16 block assists and four solo blocks. Dixon led the way with six block assists and one solo, Vinzant had two assists, while Bright and Jones added three assists and one solo apiece. Riley registered one assist and one solo to become the first Colonel since 2011 and the sixth overall to cross the century mark for blocks in a season. Pryor had the other block assists for the squad. Sophomore libero Kadie Becnel finished the contest with 23 digs and freshman defensive specialist Gabrielle Barth tallied 11.

UP NEXT
The Colonels take on Texas-A&M-Commerce on Thursday, Nov. 3 at 6:30 p.m.

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