THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University women's volleyball team will play four matches this week. The Colonels begin the week at Grambling (Sept. 2) followed by matches against Alcorn (Sept. 4), SUNO and Mississippi Valley State (Sept. 5).
 
Nicholls (2-1) began the week with three five set matches. They started the season splitting home contests against Stonehill College and Oral Roberts before ending the weekend with a victory over Alcorn in New Orleans.
 
Nicholls posted a Southland Conference high .270 hitting percentage and the Colonels' offense has a balanced attack that has five players that have recorded at least 20 kills. Kera Arrington leads the way with 42 kills followed by Zahahrah Edwards-Wyllie (35), Maya Schirmer (27), Tierney Terrell (24), and Harper Holden (21).
 
The Red & Gray offense was paced by reigning SLC Setter of the Week Isabella Padilla who has the third most assists in the league during the opening weekend (97). Sophomore Jenna Cicherski helps run the offense as she had 45 assists and a team high five service aces across the first three matches.
 
The Colonel defense was anchored by libero Natalia Navarro who registered 50 digs followed by Lizzie Kraft who added 35 digs. At the net, Schirmer had 16 blocks while Edwards-Wyllie and Holden had nine apiece.
 
Grambling (1-2) began the season playing three matches in a tournament hosted by West Georgia. The Tigers began the season with a loss to Presbyterian College (1-3) followed by a 3-2 victory over West Georgia. Grambling ended the weekend with a 1-3 loss to Northwestern State.
 
Alcorn (0-3) began the season with three games as part of the LSU-New Orleans/Nicholls Challenge. The Lady Braves started the season being swept by the Privateers before dropping contests against Nicholls (2-3) and Stonehill (3-0).
 
Mississippi Valley State (0-3) began the season with three losses at the Betty Austin Invitational hosted by Alabama A&M. MVSU began the season with a five-set loss to South Carolina State followed by getting swept by the University Maryland Eastern Shore and Delaware State.