THIBODAUX, La. -- The Nicholls State University volleyball team (3-9) will travel to San Antonio and Houston Texas to initiate Southland Conference play with matches against UIW (1-9) and HBU (8-5) on Sept. 22 and 24.

NICHOLLS COURT:
The Colonels enter conference play after a tough stretch of games against stout competition causing them to drop multiple matches in a row. The Red & Gray offense has a balanced attack with a quartet of main scorers. Senior outside hitters Devon Bright and Katie Jones lead the team in kills with 111 and 93 respectively. Also contributing in major ways are sophomore outside hitter Trinity Vinzant and senior middle blocker S'mara Riley, who add 88 and 83 kills to the fold. Bright and Vinzant lead the team with 16 and 15 service aces. The Nicholls attack is paced nicely by a pair of setters. Senior Lilly Bivens and Sophomore Kendall Battistella have accumulated 222 and 148 assists thus far.

Defensively, the Colonels utilize a group effort to fend off the opposition. Sophomore libero Kadie Becnel leads the unit with 157 digs, while Vinzant has recorded 110. Bright and Bivens have registered 97 and 76. The squad also uses their height to get blocks to deny points. Riley has tallied 47 blocks, Jones has claimed 34, and freshman middle blocker Paris Dixon has recorded 21. Additionally, Bright and Vinzant have added 19 and 13.
Nicholls has a 2-8 all-time record against UIW, including dropping three straight matches. The Colonels are 2-12 all-time against HBU, including four straight losses.
 
UIW COURT:
UIW started its season with a victory but has dropped nine matches in a row after playing in tournaments hosted by the College of Charleston and UTSA. The Cardinal's attack is straightforward with graduate student setter Taylor Stoops (202 assists) getting the ball to junior outside hitter Allison Palmi (103 kills). Additionally, Stoops has a team-high 14 service aces, while Palmi and junior libero Mariela Nieto each have 11.

Defensively, Palmi and Nieto lead the squad in digs with 98 and 76, respectively. They anchor a defense that features multiple double-digit blockers. Junior outside hitter Jacqueline Arrington leads the charge with 31 blocks, followed by junior middle blocker Annamarie Alvarez who has 17, while freshman middle blockers Kade Thomas and Alexis Walker have 16 apiece.
 
HBU COURT:
HBU comes into the opening weekend of conference play boasting victories in four out of the last seven matches. Offensively, they are like Nicholls by using their own quartet of main scorers. Right side hitter Anna Gadway leads the team with 148 kills, followed by junior outside hitter Sara Arroyo who has 131. Middle blockers sophomore Audrey Pearce and senior Jada Allen have registered 98 and 83, respectively. The offense is paced nicely by freshman setter Grace McLaughlin, who has dished out 403 assists. Additionally, HBU has three individuals with double-digit service aces with Pearce tallying 16, McLaughlin posting 13, and freshman defensive specialist Hazel Allen claiming 12.

Defensively, the Huskies have multiple individuals contributing, with junior defensive specialist Kaley Feris recording 152 digs, while McLaughlin, Gadway, and Hazel Allen add 126, 82, and 76, respectively. Pearce leads the team in blocks with 49, while Jada Allen and Gadway have 25 apiece, and Arroyo has claimed 22. 

STAY SOCIAL
For more information on Colonels Indoor & Beach Volleyball, follow both teams on Twitter (@Nicholls_VB), Instagram (@nicholls_vb), and like their Facebook page (Nicholls Volleyball).