CONWAY, Ark. – Guided by Freshman of the Year and Second-Team All-Conference winner Stacey DiFrancesco, the Northwestern State volleyball team will take on top-seeded Texas State in the first round of the Southland Conference Tournament on Friday at 4 p.m. at the Farris Center.

 

NSU (10-19, 6-10) is coming off a 2-0 record last weekend with victories over Southeastern Louisiana and Nicholls State to earn a SLC Tournament bid. The Lady Demons are riding high on confidence after winning six of their last seven sets.

 

DiFrancesco won her awards after leading the league with 14 double-doubles and finishing second in kills by just a single kill. She is backed by Keelie Arneson who finished sixth in the SLC in digs (4.34 d/s), and Emily Sweet who is sixth in assists (10.68 a/s).

 

NSU took a set off Texas State (24-7, 15-1) when they last played on Oct. 8. Kelly Jimenez led the team with a match-high 16 kills (.261), while Sweet recorded a double-double with 31 assists and 11 digs.

 

The Bobcats, have won 15 straight conference matchups since falling in their season-opener against Texas-San Antonio on Sept. 22. Texas State head coach Karen Chisum earned Coach of the Year after winning the SLC regular season title.

 

Texas State is led by SLC Player of the Year Amber Calhoun, a middle-blocker who leads the team in hitting percentage and blocks. Outside hitter Amari Deardorff and setter Caleigh McCorquodale also made it onto the First-Team All-Conference for the Bobcats, while outside hitter Melissa Toth joined DiFrancesco on the Second-Team.

 

If #8 Northwestern State defeats #1 Texas State, it would advance to the semi-finals on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Farris Center to play the winner of #4 Central Arkansas and #5 Lamar.