Box Score

NATCHITOCHES – An overall team effort from the Northwestern State volleyball team allowed them to remain undefeated at home with a 3-1 (25-22, 22-25, 25-20, 25-21) win over Lamar in Southland Conference action Thursday evening at Prather Coliseum.

The Lady Demons (13-9 overall, 9-1 SLC) extended their win-streak to six, tying their season streak record, while the Cardinals (8-15, 6-5) dropped their four-game run in the loss.

"We regained our identity somewhere in that third set," said fourth year co-head coach Hugh Hernesman. "A big thing for us heading into that game was to focus on our training and to get our mind set, which I think made a lot of difference."

Entering the third set tied at one, both teams battled to a 3-3 score before NSU knocked down three in a row to take a 6-3 lead. The Lady Demons maintained a steady momentum throughout the remainder of the game to take an eventual 25-20 win.

Lamar got ahead early in the fourth with a 6-3 lead before NSU went on a five-point run and regained control of the score. Both squads would tie it up three more times before NSU chipped away enough to take a 25-21 set win and custody of the match.

Ashley Elrod and Stacey DiFrancesco both recorded double-doubles on the night, while Vanessa Coleman knocked down a season-high 13 kills and a .632 attack percentage. Elrod registered 15 kills and 11 digs, while DiFrancesco notched 12 of each.

Setters Emily Johnson and Natalie Jaeger dished out 27 and 26 assists, respectively, to control the middle of the net. Johnson also dug up 11 Cardinal attacks for her seventh double-double of the season.

Libero Keelie Arneson put up 18 digs and aided on four attacks.

"I think our offense made a lot of difference with our balance tonight," said Hernesman. "Our middle connection was great, having a third of our kills come from the middle."

Lamar's Sierra Whittaker maintained her fifth place ranking in the Southland kills ledger with 18 kills and a .405 attack percentage on the night, followed by Cortney Moore with 14 kills and six total blocks.

The Lady Demons host Sam Houston State at two o'clock Saturday afternoon, and will honor lone senior Jessica Guttierrez before the match. NSU will also be supporting breast cancer awareness month and honoring the Dig Pink Foundation by giving away t-shirts to the first 100 fans in attendance. Southland Conference foe Oral Roberts heads to Natchitoches on Tuesday for a 7:00 meeting to round-out the three-game home-stretch for NSU.