COMMERCE, TEXAS – The Nicholls State University volleyball team earned a 3-0 (25-12, 25-18, 25-22) victory at Texas A&M-Commerce on Thursday night to win back-to-back matches for the first time since August.

The first set was all Colonels. Sophomore outside hitter Trinity Vinzant recorded four services aces during a seven-point run that gave Nicholls a 13-5 lead. Later in the set, the Colonels added a four-point run to make the lead 21-9 before they won the set 25-19.

The second set saw the Colonels go on four separate three-point runs to run away with the set 25-18. In the third frame, Nicholls pieced together five small runs, including two four-point swings to eventually win the set 25-22.

The Red & Gray offense posted their highest hitting percentage of the season at .333. Three Colonels hit at least .300 and eight kills. Senior outside hitters Katie Jones and Devon Bright posted 10 and nine kills on .348 and .412, while senior middle blocker S'mara Riley tallied eight kills while hitting .312.

Vinzant and freshman outside hitter Mackenzie Pryor had five kills apiece, while freshman middle blocker Paris Dixon had four. The attack was paced nicely by setters senior Lilly Bivens (17 assists) and freshman Taylor Heeb (14 assists).

The Colonels accumulated 13 service aces in three sets, which matches their season-high that was recorded in a five-set match against Houston Christian. Vinzant and sophomore libero Kadie Becnel finished with four apiece, Bright had three, and Heeb had two to add to the Nicholls scoring.

Defensively, the unit was anchored by Becnel who registered 13 digs. Vinzant and Bright added eight and six digs, respectively. Riley posted four blocks, while Jones added two, and Bright, Vinzant, Pryor, and Dixon each had one. With her performance tonight, Riley now holds the fifth-best single-season mark for blocks by a Colonel with 104 in the rally serve era.

UP NEXT
Nicholls hosts Lamar on Saturday, Nov. 5 in Thibodaux, La. at Stopher Gym at 11 am.