LAKE CHARLES – Northwestern State opens Southland Conference play on Thursday evening when the squad heads to Lake Charles to take on McNeese State. The match will take place at 7 o'clock from Memorial Gym.

NSU (3-10) enters conference action looking to put an eight-game losing streak behind it including three losses last weekend at the War Eagle Classic in Auburn, Ala. The squad fell to Jacksonville State, Florida A&M and Auburn but is keeping things in perspective with the main focus turning towards Thursday.

"Right now our biggest thing is coming together as a team," fifth-year head coach Hugh Hernesman said. "It was tough weekend for us. I think the Auburn match was the best volleyball we had played in a very long time, even including last year."

The program has been well traveled of recent with trips the Starkville, Miss., Waco, Texas and Auburn, Ala. all in a short time span.

"We're coming off a ten day stretch where we've been on the road for almost 50 hours of bus time," Hernesman said. "We spent four nights in our own beds; played seven matches and really had one full day of practice in those ten days. It's been grueling but it's what we need to do for our program to function and play the teams that will prepare us for conference season."

McNeese State enters the weekend at 9-5 including a 6-2 record at home after hosting the Big Daddy's Invitational and Cowgirl Classic. The Cowgirls rank second only to Northwestern State (.139) in the Southland holding opponents to a .151 hitting percentage.

Offensively, McNeese ranks first in the league with 105 service aces, an impressive 2.02 per set. The Cowgirls are led by senior Rachel Cagnina who ranks third in the conference with a .302 hitting percentage and is first with 381 total attacks. Junior Malina Sanchez ranks first with a 38 service aces – 19 more than the second place competitor.

"They have a new coach and are probably doing things a bit differently but it will pretty much be the same personnel," Hernesman said. "We'll know some tendencies and the things their players do we just kind of have to figure out what their programs does in terms of defensive and offensive systems."

NSU combats McNeese State's offensive attack, with a strong defensive presence. The Lady Demons rank first in the Southland with 126 total blocks (2.42 per set) as well as first in digs per set with 18.79. Individually, junior Glynna Johnson boasts the top spot with 67 total blocks (1.29 per set) and senior Keelie Arneson ranks first in digs per set with 6.68.

Another key contributor for NSU is Mackenzie Neely who ranks fourth in the conference in blocks per four-set matches with seven. Neely follows up a huge week including 74 kills with a 4.11 kills per set average.

"Mackenzie has brought it to a new level this year," Hernesman said. "She's being real aggressive which I think she's got full control of her game right now. I think she realizes she is one of our go to players but she's been very consistent all preseason."

Fans can follow Thursday night's action on the official NSU volleyball Twitter handle @NSUDemonsVb and by visiting mcneesesports.com.   
"We're excited to be within a three hour drive on the road," Hernesman said. "We'll be back in familiar territory in a gym we're familiar with and back into a routine with us academically and in practice."

Following Thursday, NSU will travel to Thibodaux for its final match of its one-month road trip when the Lady Demons will play Nicholls at 2 p.m. on Saturday.