Box Score DENTON, Texas – In its first match of the season, the Northwestern State volleyball team pushed North Texas to a decisive fifth set before eventually falling 3-2 (22-25, 25-18, 31-33, 25-20, 12-15) at the North Texas Invitational.

"This was a fun match to be a part of," fifth-year head coach Hugh Hernesman said. "It got a little sloppy on both sides early at times – as most early season matches do – but once we worked out the kinks, it was some good volleyball."

After dropping the first set, NSU came storming back in the second, scoring the last six points, five of which came with senior Stacey DiFrancesco at the serving line.
The game's third set offered a highly contested battle, ultimately ending in heartbreak for NSU. The two squads found themselves tied 17 times and as late as 31-31 before the Mean Green pulled away 33-31.

As was the same following the first set, NSU powered back in the fourth, jumping out to a 10-4 lead with an additional push taking the game to 15-7. North Texas climbed back bringing the set as close as 22-20 before NSU's pivotal 25-20 set win.

One year after being swept by North Texas at the invitational, NSU had pushed the Mean Green to a decisive fifth set. As the previous four sets seemed to dictate, the final set would be a tight one. After UNT jumped out to a 4-0 lead, NSU battled back to tie the match at six. The match would be tied four more times, including 10-10 before North Texas edged it out 15-12.

Three Lady Demons surpassed 10 kills including sophomore Lauren Agan who led NSU with 16 kills while senior Mackenzie Neely added 12 and DiFrancesco finished with 10. In other categories, senior Emily Johnson lead the team with 22 assists and senior Keelie Arenson came away with 35 digs over the five sets.

"We obviously got some great offensive efforts from Mackenzie and Lauren; while Keelie was terrific defensively," Hernesman said. "I think the difference in the match was their serving which was aggressive and had us out of a system and then Carnae (Dillard) She's a special player with the ability to just take over."

Northwestern State will conclude action in Denton tomorrow when they test No. 15 Missouri's 35-game regular season win streak at 1 p.m. before concluding the invitational against Mississippi Valley State at 4:30. On Friday, the Tigers swept Mississippi Valley State (25-7, 25-11, 25-17).

"It's only one match but I believe we're probably a little ahead of where we've been in the past," Hernesman said. "Now, it's just about getting better each day and learning from it."