BEAUMONT, Texas – With the new libero-setter combination of Tamara Hanna and Keelie Arneson, the Northwestern State volleyball team will continue conference play this weekend with a pair of road matches.

 

NSU (8-17, 4-8) will take on Lamar (8-19, 6-6) on Thursday at 7 p.m. and McNeese State (8-18, 3-9) at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

 

Arneson is coming off her first double-double, posting a career-high 41 assists and 12 digs last Saturday against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi as the starting setter. She also scored a personal-best five kills in the match, and hit at a .625 mark.

 

Hanna comes into the weekend high on confidence after her last showing, digging up a career and match-high 25 digs against the Islanders. It was her second double-digit performance, and she's averaging 5.17 digs per set over her last two matches.

 

Leading the offense, Stacey DiFrancesco ranks third in conference play in kills, averaging 4.02 per set. She registered 17 kills and 13 digs against TAMUCC, and has recorded a double-double in 10 of the last 11 matches for NSU.

 

Lamar is coming off a weekend split, falling to Southeastern Louisiana 3-1 and sweeping Nicholls State 3-0. Setter Alex Morford ranks third in the SLC in assists with an 11.09 set average, while libero Angel Colyar ranks sixth in digs with a 4.44 set average.

 

The Lady Demons slipped to the Cardinals earlier this season, 3-1 on Oct. 13. DiFrancesco tallied 21 kills and 12 digs, and NSU out-blocked Lamar 10-8. Though, the Cardinals' Sierra Whittaker was the difference in the match as she slammed 17 kills and hit at a .382 mark.

 

McNeese State also split last weekend, losing to Nicholls State 3-0 and beating SLU 3-0. Outside-hitter Nicole Bowden ranks second in the SLC in kills (4.06 k/s) and fifth in hitting percentage (.333). Setter Becky Bekelja ranks in the top-5 in assists, averaging 10.63 per set against conference foes.

 

The Lady Demons were victorious over the Cowgirls on Oct. 15, 3-1 when Nicole Hajka turned in a career performance with 15 kills and a .407 hitting percentage. Bowden had nine kills (.333) to lead McNeese, but DiFrancesco and Kelly Jimenez topped it with a pair of double-doubles.

 

NSU enters the weekend tied for ninth in the SLC standings. Three of its last four matches are against teams it has already defeated this season. The top eight teams will qualify for the conference tournament Nov. 18-20 in Conway, Ark.