Box Score

NATCHITOCHES – Junior Stacey DiFrancesco recorded an all-around performance Thursday night as the Northwestern State volleyball team remained undefeated at home with a 3-1 (25-17, 21-25, 25-18, 25-19) win over Southland Conference foe McNeese State at Prather Coliseum.

The Lady Demons notched their fifth win at Prather to improve to 9-9 overall, 5-1 in the Southland as the Cowgirls fell to 12-9, 5-3.

"We had a good setting night and got the kills that we needed," said fourth year co-head coach Hugh Hernesman. "I thought McNeese played really well and did some things in the second set that we didn't have an answer for.

McNeese jumped out to an early 4-2 lead in the first set before NSU put up a match-high six-point run to take a 7-4 lead and maintain control of the game from there. The Lady Demons slowly put the Cowgirls at an arm's length with two, three-or-more point runs and record a 25-17 victory.

McNeese controlled the entire second set, taking a set-high 15-10 lead and forcing a Northwestern State timeout. The Cowgirls chipped away at the scoreboard for the eventual 25-21 win.

Set three was a neck-and-neck game as both teams took turns trading points until the Lady Demons put together two, four-point runs and took a 2-1 match lead.

NSU sealed the win in set four with a five-point run for a 15-10 score as the Cowgirls took a break. Two, three-point runs from the Lady Demons gave them the eventual win.

DiFrancesco registered her second double-double of the season with 11 kills and 16 digs. Fellow junior Mackenzie Neely noted a .385 attack percentage as she also knocked down 11 kills, two assists and one service ace.

"Stacey did a nice job tonight, and we don't usually call on her to take a lot of swings," said Hernesman. "Her role was important today and I thought the second-half of the match, where McNeese played so well, she really stepped up."

Caiti O'Connell had a team-high 16 kills on the night while also putting up three service aces.

Setters Natalie Jaeger and Emily Johnson dished out 24 and 25 assists, respectively. Jaeger also contributed three service aces and seven digs.

NSU career-digs holder Keelie Arneson dug up 15 Cowgirl attacks. The Tomball, Texas native was honored for her achievement before tonight's match for taking over for previous record-holder Cathy Herring '04, who dug up 1,325 attacks in her four seasons as a Lady Demon. Arneson currently sits 22^nd in the nation with 5.13 digs per set.

Middle Blockers Amanda Kunz and Glynna Johnson put up a combined 11 blocks for the Lady Demons.

NSU's nine service aces on the evening are a season-high, while its 57 kills are a season-tie.

The Lady Demons will host Nicholls State on Saturday at two o'clock at Prather before hitting the road next week to Houston Baptist and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.