SAN ANTONIO, Texas, -- The Nicholls State University volleyball team dropped an intense five-set match to UIW inside the McDermott Center on Thursday night.
 
In the first set, Nicholls hit .292 and scored six of the final eight points of the set to claim it 25-19.
 
In the second frame, the teams traded points until a six-point scoring run gave the Colonels a cushion. Nicholls finished the set with another six-point rally and hit an impressive .448 to win the set 25-14.
 
The Colonels began the third stanza with a 13-4 run but the Cardinals were able to claw back into the action and make the score 19-19. After that, the units traded points until the Cardinals squeaked out a 25-23 win.
 
The fourth set, the Cardinals jumped out to a quick 11-7 advantage before the Colonels went on a surge to tie the contest at 11. UIW then 6-1 to go up 17-12 and used that momentum to win the set 25-17 and force a winner takes all fifth set.
 
In the decisive fifth stanza, UIW got off to a quick start taking eight of the first ten points. The Colonels tried to build momentum but fell 15-7.
 
The Red & Gray attack was spearheaded by a trio of freshmen outside hitters, Gracie Campbell, Autumn Perry, and Addison Phares.  Campbell hit .286 and had a match high 17 kills, Perry finished with 10 kills, while Prares added eight kills.
 
The attack was paced by junior setter Kendall Battistella and sophomore setter Taylor Heeb who finished the contest with 27 and 15 assists, respectively.
 
The Colonel defense was anchored by freshman outside hitter Tierney Terrell, junior libero Rae Leano, and Heeb who combined for 27 digs.
 
In the middle, sophomore Paris Dixon registered eight kills and three blocks while senior Jhayla Bolden had a match-high eight blocks and five kills.
 
Additionally, Perry claimed five blocks and sophomore Mackenzie Pryor finished the match with three blocks to go with her five kills.
 
UP NEXT
The Red & Gray continue its road trip through Texas with a stop at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday Oct. 14.