THIBODAUX, La. -- The Nicholls State University volleyball program (3-8) finished the non-conference slate by dropping matches against the University of Wyoming, Morehead State, and Idaho at the UNIWYO Invite in Laramie, WY on Sept. 15-17.

GAME ONE at Wyoming (L 3-0) (18-25, 25-27, 24-26)

In the weekend's first game, the Cowgirls used late runs in the second and third sets to come back and outlast the Colonels. The Red & Gray offense was spearheaded by a quartet of outside hitters with graduate student Katie Jones setting the tone with 12 kills while hitting an impressive .450. Also recording double-digit kills was sophomore Trinity Vinzant who tallied 11. Freshman Mackenzie Pryor and senior Devon Bright added nine and seven kills, respectively. Additionally, Bright had four service aces.

The attack was mostly paced by senior setter Lilly Bivens who finished the contest with 24 assists. Also chipping in was setters freshman Taylor Heeb (9) and sophomore Kendall Battistella (7). Defensively sophomore libero Kadie Becnel registered 13 digs, while Bright and Bivens each had nine. The Colonels had a total of five blocks.
 
GAME TWO vs Morehead State (L 3-0) (17-25, 19-25, 17-25)

The second match was like the first one with a quartet of Colonels shouldering the offense. Jones led the way with nine kills while hitting .538. Bright and senior middle blocker S'mara Riley had seven kills apiece, and Pryor added six. The Nicholls attack was set up by Bivens and Heeb who finished the contest with 18 and 17 assists, respectively.

The Red & Gray defense was anchored by Riley and Becnel. Riley recorded five blocks, while Becnel tallied 13 digs. Also contributing was Bivens who had eight digs.
 
GAME THREE vs Idaho (L 3-0) (18-25, 21-25, 25-27)

In the final game of the weekend, the Colonel's offense was led again by Jones who finished the match with eight kills. Also chipping in was Vinzant and freshman middle blocker Paris Dixon who had six and four kills respectively. The offense was paced by Heeb and Bivens who finished the match with a combined 19 assists.

Defensively for the Red & Gray, Heeb posted a team-high five digs, while Vinzant and Pryor registered four apiece. Also anchoring the defense was Jones who tallied five blocks alongside Riley who finished with four.

UP NEXT
Nicholls is set to open Southland Conference play with two road matches in Texas. First, the Colonels will travel to San Antonio to face off against UIW on Sept. 22, and then they will stop in Houston to clash with HBU on Sept. 24.