BEAUMONT, Texas – In the third of a four-game homestand, Lamar University's volleyball team will look to bounce back in Southland Conference contention when the Colonels of Nicholls State University come to town. The Cards and Colonels will face each other Thursday at 7 p.m. in the McDonald Gym.

THE LAST TIME OUT – MCNEESE
The second of four consecutive Southland Conference matches, Lamar University's volleyball team hosted McNeese State University on Saturday in the volleyball Battle of the Border. The match featured 41 ties and 19 lead changes, but luck favored the Cowgirls over the Cardinals in a 3-1 match that easily could have been a Big Red victory.

Abigale Nash continued to assert herself offensively and defensively with another double-double; the freshman had 10 kills and 13 digs while serving two aces against the Cowgirls. Alyssa Legette also accrued a double-double with 29 assists and 10 digs, and Ivette Dim and Tomar Thomas each had double-digit kills. Erin Pequeno poured in another 15 digs as the libero.
 
Lamar vs. Nicholls – Oct. 4 at 7 p.m.
The Cards and Colonels will meet for the 38th time on Thursday with Big Red holding a 26-11 advantage over Nicholls, including a 13-5 mark at home.
 
Jay Van Vark became the 10th head coach in Colonel volleyball history on Feb. 8, 2018, and has led Nicholls to a 3-15 mark overall and 1-4 record in SLC play in his first season. He came to Thibodaux, La., after stints as an assistant coach at several notable programs including Grand Canyon University, Ohio State University, San Diego State University, and UC-Santa Barbara, as well as USA Volleyball.
 
Nicholls averages 9.90 kills a set, 12th in the SLC, and its 13.70 digs per set are 10th in the conference. The Colonels' aces per set are sixth in the league at 1.30 a set, and their 2,040 total attacks on the year are seventh.
 
Emily Venable is fifth in the SLC in total digs this season with 245 on the year, and Heidi Carpenter is one of a few players league-wide with a triple double. Brienna Hill is the driving force offensively for Nicholls with 144 total kills.
 
UP NEXT

The Cardinals conclude their four-game homestand with New Orleans at Oct. 6. Big Red will then hit the road for four consecutive road games from Oct. 11 through Oct. 20.