Box Score

NATCHITOCHES – Keelie Arneson, Stacey DiFrancesco and Kelly Jimenez all tallied double-doubles, but the Northwestern State volleyball team just couldn't pull out the fifth set against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday in Prather Coliseum – 22-25, 25-23, 25-19, 22-25 and 15-10.

“We needed to be more aggressive in the ending moments,” said co-head coach Hugh Hernesman. “We also need to start establishing a higher level of consistency that's needed to beat good teams, and that's something we'll continue to work on.”

Starting her first ever game at setter, Arneson dished out a career-high 41 assists and also dug up 12 to complete her first double-double for NSU (8-17, 5-8). Though, a courageous fifth set from TAMUCC (13-16, 5-7) was the difference.

“Keelie has done great so far at setter, especially considering the amount of training she's had at that position this season,” said Hernesman. “As I said Thursday, she's just a great all-around volleyball player and a tremendous competitor.”

Tamara Hanna registered a career-high 25 digs defensively at libero, while Jessica Guttierrez came in off the bench to dig eight.

“Tamara did great for us defensively, and she'd probably even say that she could have done even better,” Hernesman said. “Our expectations for her are high and she performed to that level today.”

DiFrancesco recorded her 14th double-double of the season with 17 kills and 13 digs, while Jimenez put up her ninth double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs.

Vanessa Coleman and Mackenzie Neely also contributed offensively, smashing eight and six kills, respectively.

For TAMUCC, Brooke Alverson was the decisive player, squashing 17 kills and hitting at a .406 mark. Micah Nolan led the defense with 19 digs, and Sarah Sanchez scored a double-double with 16 digs and 13 kills.

The teams started even in the first set at 11-11 when NSU took four out of five points to jump ahead, 16-12. After a couple kills by DiFrancesco, the Lady Demons extended the lead out to 20-14, and then 24-18 once Neely found her groove. The Islanders took four straight to make it close, but Jimenez was there for a spike to end the set, 25-22.

DiFrancesco slammed a match-high five kills in the first, while Hanna dug up 7. NSU improved to 16-9 on the season in the opening frame of matches

A heated second set started even (10-10) when TAMUCC spurted ahead 17-14 when Alverson put a couple down. NSU quickly came back to tie it, 17-17, when Coleman finished on an attack. Still tied 23-23, Alverson pounded another, and the Islanders took the set 25-23 after a Lady Demons miscue.

DiFrancesco and Jimenez each tallied four kills lead the Lady Demons in the second. Jimenez also recorded four digs, while Hanna had five.

After dropping the third 25-19, NSU got out to a nice 10-6 lead in the fourth. Though, the Islanders responded by take seven of the next eight and got ahead, 13-11. Still trailing 17-14, the Lady Demons fought back to tie it 17-17 after a kill by DiFrancesco. Still even 22-22, NSU took the last three points of the set after an ace by Neely, 25-22.

In the final set, TAMUCC got out to an early 7-5 edge, but the Lady Demons came back to tie it (8-8) after a block assist by Nicole Hajka/Neely. Later, NSU was down by just one at 10-11, but the Islanders ran away with the final four points to win the match.

The Lady Demons will look to bounce back on the road next week, taking on Lamar on Thursday at 7 and McNeese State on Saturday at 2.