NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Nicholls State University volleyball team was swept by Southern Miss and Stephen F. Austin inside Shelton Gym on Friday.
MATCH ONE: vs. Southern Miss (L 3-0) (25-20, 25-18, 25-23)
Despite a late rally by Nicholls, who trailed 12-9 before both teams traded four-point scoring runs that allowed the Golden Eagles to take the first set 25-20.
In the second frame, a 12-2 Golden Eagles run made the score 15-5. The Colonels found their rhythm in the late stages of the set to score four of the final five points but ultimately fell 25-18.
In the final stanza, Southern Miss started hot again going up 10-4 before Nicholls closed the gap after five point and three-point scoring run tied the contest at 17. After that it was a back-and-forth affair that saw the Golden Eagles squeak by the Colonels 25-23.
The Red and Gray offense was spearheaded by freshman outside hitter
Autumn Perry, who finished with nine kills and 11 digs. Sophomore outside hitter
Mackenzie Pryor registered eight kills, and senior middle blocker
Jhayla Bolden added six kills.
The attack was paced by setters junior
Kendall Battistella and freshman
Berra Soyler who recorded 11 and 10 assists, respectively.
Junior outside hitter
Trinity Vinzant led the team with 14 digs, while sophomore libero
Gabrielle Barth had seven digs and seven assists.
MATCH TWO: vs. SFA (L 3-0) (25-9, 25-14, 25-18)
The Colonels struggled offensively against the stout SFA defense and posted a negative hitting percentage in all three sets.
In the first set, the Ladyjacks went on two four-point scoring runs and ran away with a 25-9 advantage.
In the second stanza, SFA took 11 of the last 12 points to win the set 25-14, and in the final frame, the Ladyjacks strung together a pair of scoring runs to create distance and the Colonels comeback fell short.
Offensively, Perry led the squad with seven kills, followed by Vinzant (5), and freshman outside hitter
Tierney Terrell (3).
Battistella had a team high 10 assists and 10 digs to earn the third double-double of her career.
Vinzant registered 16 digs, Perry tallied 13 digs and three block assists and Bolden had two block assists to anchor the Colonel defense.
UP NEXT
The Colonels will closeout play in the SFA tournament Cal Poly on Saturday, Sept. 2
