THIBODAUX, La – The Nicholls State University volleyball team is prepared for a busy week where they will host three consecutive matches inside Stopher Gym. First, they will play Texas A&M-Commerce on Thursday Oct. 19, then Northwestern State on Saturday, Oct. 21, and McNeese on Tuesday Oct. 24.

Thursday's match against the Lions will be the annual "Stuff Stopher" match. There will be contests and prizes available during the match with some corporate partners of Nicholls Athletics.
 
NICHOLLS. COURT (2-17, 0-9 SLC)
The Colonels come into the week after dropping two matches in Texas against UIW and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
 
Freshman outside hitter Gracie Campbell became a new scoring option for the Colonels and tallied 28 kills across the previous two contest to bring her season total to 74. The Red & Gray is led by freshman outside hitter Autumn Perry who paces the team in kills (145) and service aces (20). She is also third in digs (123) and blocks (36).
 
Junior outside hitter Trinity Vinzant leads the team in digs with 142 and is second on the squad in kills (119) and service aces (10). The Colonel attack is run by a pair of setters. Junior Kendall Battistella has 267 assists, while freshman Berra Soyler has 177 dimes.
 
Defensively, sophomore libero Gabrielle Barth has 133 digs, Battistella has 101, and junior defensive specialist Rae Leano has 75. In the middle, sophomore Paris Dixon has 50 blocks and 75 kills, while senior Jhayla Bolden has registered 48 blocks.
 
TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE COURT (9-13, 5-4 SLC)
Last week the Lions were beaten 3-0 by HCU on Thursday and then swept Lamar on Saturday to avoid three consecutive losses.
 
A&M-Commerce's balanced offense features three individuals with at least 100 kills. Kitana Tuufuli leads the unit with 213, followed by Reese Fetty (163) and Deja Benjamin has 104. The attack is run by two setters. Breann Connally has 418 digs followed by Peyton Plant has 252.
 
Defensively, Jade Smith leads the squad with 377 digs followed by Millie Allgood (155) and Reese (154). Allgood leads the team in service aces with 24.
 
 NORTHWESTERN STATE COURT (9-12, 5-5 SLC)
The Lady Demons enter the weekend on a two-match losing streak after being swept by McNeese and Southeastern. NSU will play UNO on Thursday before coming to Thibodaux on Saturday.

NSU's offense features four individuals with at least 125 kills and has the leagues fourth best hitting percentage (.212). Teresa Garza leads the way with 194, followed by Tessa Gerwig (137), Breanna Burrell (131), and Reaghan Thompson (128). The balanced attack is paced by setters Piper Boydstun (349 assists) and Amina Attra (328 assists).
The Lady Demons boast a stout defense that ranks 4th in opponent hitting percentage (.195). Ashlyn Svoboda leads the unit in digs with 327, followed by Garza (240). Thompson is a force in the middle with 116 total blocks that is most in the SLC.
 
McNEESE COURT (9-13, 7-2 SLC)
Last weekend the Cowgirls swept Northwestern State and HCU and will play Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and UNO before coming to Thibodaux on Tuesday.
 
McNeese's offense is led by Carissa Chainey and McKenzie Moore who have 251 and 218 kills, respectively. The Cowgirl's attack is paced by Megan Grose who has 561 assists.
 
Defensively, the unit is anchored by Bailey Tillman who has 376 digs, followed by Chainey (201), and Kendall Osgood (200). In the middle, Sanni Rantanen has 50 blocks followed by Moore with 49.