HAMMOND, La. – The defending Southland Conference Champion Southeastern Louisiana University volleyball team looks to build off its historic weekend from last weekend as the Lady Lions head to Natchitoches for four matches in the Battle for the Boot Tournament, including the Southland Conference opener, this weekend at Prather Coliseum.
 
After starting the season with a 1-2 record after opening weekend, Southeastern (6-3, 0-0 SLC) is looking to continue its momentum which has seen the Lady Lions win five of their last six matches, including true road wins over a Texas State team which was receiving votes in the AVCA Top 25 poll at the time and SEC member LSU which both came last weekend. Kailin Newsome, who was named the Southland Conference's Offensive Player of the Week after she averaged 4.5 kills per set last weekend, has gotten her swing going and is now averaging a Southland-best 3.89 kills per set on the season on a .215 attack percentage to go with seven service aces, 107 digs, and three total blocks. Her 4.13 points per set also currently leads the SLC. Cicily Hidalgo is also starting to find her swing as she's hitting .279 for the season and is second on the team averaging 2.91 kills per set, which is also fourth-highest in the conference. Rachel Hartmann, who is averaging 2.4 kills per set on a .289 attack percentage, leads the team in service aces with 10 on the year.
 
Defensively, Jacqueline Arrington is coming off a week where she was named the SLC's Defensive Player of the Week thanks to 19 total blocks in the four matches played last weekend, including nine alone in the win over LSU and currently sits sixth in the conference in blocks per set at 0.91.
 
While the rest of the Southland waits another week to kick off conference play, the Lady Lions get it started this week, turning the trip to Natchitoches for the Battle for the Boot into the SLC opener as SLU plays the host, Northwestern State, on Thursday night. The Demons (2-7, 0-0 SLC) are on their own run of success, having won back-to-back matches after dropping their opening seven matches. NSU has now won six straight sets in their two wins, trying to make up for their opening losing streak which at one point saw the Demons drop 20 straight sets.
 
NSU's top scorer on the year is Reaghan Thompson, who pulled an unusual double-double in the Demons win over Texas Southern with 11 kills and 10 blocks, averaging 2.71 points per set. She currently leads the conference in blocks, averaging 1.59 per set. Offensively, Tessa Gerwig is tops on the Demon attack, averaging 2.2 kills per set on a .185 attack percentage while Teresa Garza averages 2.17 kills per set on a .111 attack percentage. Thompson has the best attack percentage of all NSU players with more than 100 total attacks at .289 and averages 1.83 kills per set. The SLC opener between the Lady Lions and Demons on Thursday is set for 7:00 p.m. and will be live streamed on ESPN+.
 
Friday sees Southeastern step out of conference for the rest of the weekend, marking SLU's final stretch of non-conference games in the regular season, starting with a matinee affair with Louisiana-Monroe. The Warhawks (3-7) also enter the Battle for the Boot with some momentum, having ended a six-match skid by proving victorious in both of their matches at the University of New Orleans Invitational, knocking off both Southern and New Orleans last weekend.
 
ULM is led offensively by Logan Jeffus, who has a team-best 99 total kills for a 2.41 kill per set average and the highest hitting percentage of the squad at .358. Ariana Brown is another top option for the Warhawks as she has the best kill per set average, knocking down 2.43 kills per set while holding a .148 attack percentage. Bailey Roberson has 15 service aces on the young season. When the Lady Lions are on the attack, they will have to get through the wall of Jeffus and Hannah Redrow who have 18 and 19 total blocks, respectively, representing the only two Warhawks who have double-digit blocks so far this season. Friday's match between ULM and SLU is set for 1:30 p.m. and it will not be live streamed, though live stats will be available.
 
Saturday sees Southeastern play their final two non-conference matches of the season as the Lady Lions take on both Southern and Louisiana Tech. The final day of non-conference action begins in the morning against the Jaguars (1-4) who come into this weekend after getting their first win of the season by taking the split of two matches against the Privateers in the aforementioned UNO Invitational. Before dropping the first of the back-to-back matches with UNO, Southern dropped matches to NAIA-team Dillard, Southland-foe McNeese, and fellow Battle for the Boot participant ULM to start their season.
 
The Jaguars get most of their scoring from Elise Doomes, who leads the team in kills, 37, kills per set, 3.36, and points per set, 3.59. Their top server is Jordan Felix, who's scored six service aces this year. Kailee Deffebaugh is the top blocker for SU with nine total blocks on the season. Saturday's match between the Lady Lions and Jaguars is set for 10:00 a.m. and will not be live streamed, though live stats will be available.
 
SLU's time in Natchitoches ends Saturday afternoon as the Lady Lions close out their participation in the Battle for the Boot with a match against Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs (4-5) also start the weekend riding a two-match win streak after ending a three-match slide with their most recent win coming over fellow Southland school Lamar.
 
When they're on the attack, the Bulldogs go to Sydney Jackwin, who is averaging 3.47 kills per set and is getting in rhythm after missing the first four matches of the season, currently hitting at a .194 attack percentage. Jailen Hurley leads Louisiana Tech in kills, 82, and attack percentage, .254, while averaging 2.34 kills per set. McKenzie Johnson has a team-best 17 service aces on the season. Ashley Taylor and Luisa Araujo will be the ones looking to reject SLU attacks as they have 34 and 31 total blocks on the season, respectively. Southeastern and Louisiana Tech will serve it up at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday and the match will not be live streamed, though live stats will be available.
 
All matches of the 2023 Battle for the Boot will be played in Prather Coliseum in Natchitoches, La. on the campus of Northwestern State.
 
DIGGIN' IT CLUB / S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the Southeastern volleyball program are encouraged to join the Diggin' It Club. Lion volleyball alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.
 
All membership fees and donations to both the Diggin' It Club and S Club (volleyball) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern volleyball program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Lady Lions Volleyball, follow @LionUpVB or @JWhiteSLU on Twitter, @LionUpVB on Instagram, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.