Box Score THIBODAUX – Playing without senior libero Keelie Arneson, who sustained an injury in practice Friday, Northwestern State dropped three straight sets (19-25, 19-25, 26-28) at Nicholls on Saturday afternoon. In the process, the Lady Demons dropped to 4-11 and 1-1 in Southland Conference play while Nicholls improved to 5-10 and 1-1 in league action.

"It's been an emotional 24 hours for us so it is difficult to have an accurate assessment of today," fifth-year head coach Hugh Hernesman said. "I think the big difference for us today was our inability to generate offense. We passed it well enough but our second and third contacts weren't what we needed them to be."

Two Glynna Johnson kills and one each from Stacey DiFrancesco and Mackenzie Neely helped NSU out to an early 5-3 advantage in set one. The Colonels responded, though rattling off five consecutive points to come back from a 6-5 deficit to take a 9-6 lead early. Shortly later, four straight points gave Nicholls a 13-6 lead. NSU attempted to climb back in late on kills from Ashley Elrod and Neely but a Nicholls service ace gave the Colonels a 20-9 lead.

A DiFrancesco kill, Amanda Kunz and DiFrancesco block following by an Elrod service ace forced a Nicholls timeout with the lead down to 22-15. NSU found itself down just four at 23-19 after consecutive Lady Demon blocks but Nicholls took the final two points to claim set one, 25-19.

For the second consecutive set, NSU was out early, this time at 6-3 on back to back kills from Elrod and Kunz. Nicholls rattled off six straight points to claim a 9-6 lead. The Lady Demons made their way back taking four of five points and the two sat knotted at 10 but Nicholls responded. Three consecutive points and two kills from the Colonels forced a NSU timeout with the visitors down 16-12.

Northwestern State closed the gap to within two thanks to kills from DiFrancesco and Kunz at 18-16 but Nicholls taking five of the final seven points to claim set two once again at 25-19 and led 2-0.

NSU did not get the start it needed in a must-have set three, as Nicholls jumped out to a 5-1 lead early. NSU answered with five of the next six points including consecutive service aces from Elrod at 6-6. The two exchanged points throughout the remainder of the set. The Lady Demons held a 12-10 lead after a Neely kill but the Colonels claimed six of the next seven points and built a 16-13 lead forcing a NSU timeout.

After the timeout, the Lady Demons took four straight points highlighted by two Coleman kills and one from DiFrancesco to take a 19-17 lead. NSU lead 20-18 on another DiFrancesco kill but Nicholls took the next three points to take a 21-20 lead and force a Lady Demon timeout. NSU had a chance to close the set out at 26-25 and 25-24 but the Colonels hung around, eventually taking the sets' final three points to win it 28-26 and claim the set 3-0.

The Lady Demons were led by Neely's 10.5 points. DiFrancesco and Neely each tallied eight kills while Natalie Jaeger and Emily Johnson finished with 12 assists. Bailey Martin had 21 digs and Coleman led the way with six total blocks.

"We've had a long five weeks of being on the road," Hernesman said. "Perhaps you've just got to chalk it up as being road weary. On the other hand, we're not into excuses, so we've just got to be better and learn from today."

Northwestern State will open the home portion of the schedule on Thursday at Prather Coliseum. The Lady Demons will take on Abilene Christian at 7 o'clock.