Box Score HAMMOND – A career-high 17 kills and season-high eight blocks from sophomore Glynna Johnson allowed the Northwestern State volleyball team to secure its fifth win in a row over Southland Conference foe Southeastern Louisiana Saturday afternoon in a 3-2 (21-25, 25-10, 24-26, 25-18, 15-12) battle at the University Center.
 
The win marks the 14^th of the conference season to move the Lady Demons to 18-10 overall, 14-2 in the Southland, and maintain their second place league standing. The Lady Lions fall to 11-18, 4-12.
 
"Today was a pretty challenging and unique match," said fourth year co-head coach Hugh Hernesman. "We were real streaky and we've got to be better at playing more steady. There were too many highs and lows."
 
After dropping a tight first set, NSU bounced back in game two with a 25-10 win. The Lady Demons knocked down six in a row to begin the set, and put together runs of five and six points to take a commanding 17-7 lead and force an SLU timeout. NSU chipped away at the board for the eventual tie heading into the break.
 
Seven ties in set three posed a similar script as the first game, but Northwestern State was unable to pull out the win. The final tie came at 24-all, followed by a kill from SLU's Tiffany Thomas and an attack error from NSU's Caiti O'Connell.
 
The Lady Lions put up a 7-5 lead in the fourth, but could not handle NSU's counter attack as the Lady Demons tied the game at 10 and took control from there. Another five-point run would put NSU up 19-13. The Lady Demons allowed just five more points from SLU before notching the 25-18 win.
 
In the fifth, NSU led 6-3 as Southeastern was issued a yellow card. Both teams battled to an 11-11 tie before the Lady Demons put four more on the board compared to SLU's one to secure the win and remain undefeated in five-set matches.
 
Johnson recorded a .536 attack percentage, her second-highest of the season. Right side hitter Mackenzie Neely followed with 10 kills and four blocks.
 
"Glynna was awesome today," said Hernesman. "All season long, our middles have been working to progress and become a bigger part of our offense. She can present a real tough match-up for a lot of teams and today was the best I've seen from her."
 
"Also, Mackenzie Neely was extremely clutch and delivered on a number of very, very important situations. I've said this before, but you just never know who can jump up and get you for our team because we can be so balanced."
 
Setters Emily Johnson and Natalie Jaeger notched double-doubles as they combined for 43 assists and 25 digs. E. Johnson and Ashley Elrod recorded three service aces a piece to contribute to the team's 12, while holding Southeastern to just three on the day.
 
Libero Keelie Arneson dug up 22 Lady Lion attacks as Stacey DiFrancesco knocked down five kills, 13 digs and two service aces.
 
"It was a good team win, as always, and we now start preparing for a very good Central Arkansas team on Tuesday," said Hernesman.
 
Northwestern State wraps up the regular season next week with the final home game on Tuesday at 7:00 vs. Southland Conference leader UCA, who remains undefeated in league play, and a meeting with league rival Stephen F. Austin on Saturday in Nacogdoches, Texas, at one o'clock.