HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana volleyball squad will wrap up its regular season slate with a pair of Southland Conference matches this week against Nicholls State and Central Arkansas.
Southeastern (10-16, 7-7 Southland) hosts Nicholls (9-18, 5-9 Southland), Tuesday, at 7 p.m. in the University Center and then travels to UCA (17-9, 12-2 Southland), Thursday, for a 7 p.m. first serve.
Fans can watch both matches live on LionVision, Southeastern's subscription-based video stream, or follow live statistics. Links for both are available on the volleyball schedule page at www.LionSports.net. Admission to the match is free.
With a five-set win over Lamar this past Saturday, the Lady Lions clinched a spot in the Southland Conference Volleyball Tournament for the second time in three seasons. The tournament will be held Nov. 21-23 in Natchitoches, Louisiana. The win also gave Southeastern its most conference victories since the 2004 season.
Sarah Friedman (2.45 k/set),
Parrie Hartley (2.11 kills per set),
Tiffany Thomas (2.11 k/set) and
Mikayla Shippy (8.87 assists per set) are leading the way for Southeastern offensively.
Rachael Bunn is the team leader in blocks (1.01 b/set), ranking sixth in the conference, and
Morgan Todd is fourth in the Southland with 4.92 digs per set.
The Colonels have dropped two-of their last three matches since falling in five sets at home to Southeastern, Oct. 30.
Kaci Eaton (4.15 k/set), Ainsley Marroccoli (6.46 a/set) and Kalynn Egea (5.66 d/set) lead Nicholls. Eaton has the third highest kills average in the Southland, while Egea is tops in digs.
UCA has won its last two matches after suffering its first two conference losses in two years.
Heather Schnars, the reigning conference offensive player of the week, leads the Sugar Bears in kills (4.29 per set). Kristine Hjembo (9.06 a/set) and Amy South (9.96 a/set) have split the setting duties this season, while Shelbee Berringer (4.44 d/set) anchors the defense.
Southeastern sits in seventh place in the conference standings, one-half game behind Houston Baptist (13-15, 7-6 Southland). The Huskies have matches against Central Arkansas, Lamar and Sam Houston State this week. Nicholls is currently two games behind the Lady Lions, with two to play, holding on to the eighth and final spot in the tournament.
