CONWAY, Ark. – Led by back-to-back Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week Keelie Arneson, the Northwestern State volleyball team hits the road for a challenging pair of league matchups, beginning with last year's conference tournament champion Central Arkansas Thursday evening at seven o'clock at the Prince Center.

After Thursday's visit to UCA, the Lady Demons travel to Tulsa for a Saturday showdown with Oral Roberts.
 
The Lady Demons (7-8 overall, 3-0 SLC) are currently on a six-game win streak after picking up wins over non-conference rival Louisiana Tech and Southland nemesis Stephen F. Austin last week. The Sugar Bears (12-3, 4-0) have put up five straight wins, all complete shutouts.
 
"It's going to be a good, tough weekend; we knew going into this stretch of SFA, Central Arkansas and Oral Roberts that it's going to be three highly intense, competitive matches," said fourth-year co-head coach Hugh Hernesman. "They both got off to great starts this season and are strong programs, which is why we schedule like we do in preseason."
 
The Sugar Bears were victorious in both meetings with NSU last season, taking their first meeting to five sets and later blanking the Lady Demons on their home court.
 
Arneson dug up 41 opponent attacks last week. The Tomball, Texas, native picked up 4.56 digs per set for an overall 4.94 average, good enough for second in the league.
 
Caiti O'Connell and Ashley Elrod lead the attack for NSU, sitting 12^th and 14^th in the Southland in kills with 3.00 and 2.96 kills per set, respectively.
 
Setters Emily Johnson and Natalie Jaeger have dished out a combined 495 assists to aid in the team's overall performance, while Amanda Kunz and Glynna Johnson hold ranks in the SLC blocks list with .80 and .77 blocks per set.
 
"Natalie and Emily have done a tremendous job of running an efficient offense," said Hernesman. "They mix it up really well and set the middle well enough to keep their blockers off of our pin hitters, so you have to give credit to them."
 
UCA is led by Paige Gantar as she records 2.20 kills per set and 24 total blocks. Gantar ranks fourth in the Southland in hitting percentage with .327. Alicia Dittrich (.297), Heather Schnars (.280) and Jessica Nagy (.265) hold down spots in the top-10 as well.
      
Schnars also holds ranks in kills (3.20 per set) and service aces (0.49 per set) while Nagy registers 2.98 kills per set behind O'Connell (3.00 kills per set) and in front of  Elrod (2.96 kills per set).
      
Setter Marissa Collins leads the Southland with 11.53 assists per set, while libero Shelbee Berringer posts 4.67 digs per set.
 
The Lady Demons will continue on to Oral Roberts on Saturday at 2:00 before returning to Prather Coliseum to host McNeese State next Thursday at 7:00 and Nicholls on Saturday, Oct. 12, at two o'clock.