BEAUMONT, Texas – Halfway through its longest road trip of the season, the Northwestern State volleyball team is feeling at home away from home.
 
NSU hit the midway point of a six-match road swing and did so emphatically, sweeping Lamar, 25-19, 25-22, 25-20 for its first road sweep of the season.
 
"We're looking forward to coming home, but we've had a nice run of late," first-year head coach Sean Kiracofe said.
 
With its third win in four matches, NSU improved to 6-18  overall and 4-7 in conference play. Coupled with Stephen F. Austin's sweep of Sam Houston State, Northwestern State made up a game on each of the two teams directly in front of it in the Southland Conference standings.
 
Lauren Agan paced NSU's powerful first set, collecting seven kills in 10 attempts while committing only one error.
 
Agan added a block solo and a service ace in the set, helping NSU get off a much-needed fast start.
 
"At the net, she was fantastic," Kiracofe said. "She had a really big block in front of her. They moved (Chelsea Grant) to the right side. (Agan) was up against a very impressive block and handled it well. It's a credit to our passers that allowed (setter) Natalie (Jaeger) to run a good offense. Lauren was up against that big block and did a lot of smart things."
 
NSU led by as much as nine points in the opening set and held a 19-15 lead in the second set before Lamar (13-9, 3-5) rallied to tie things at 19.
 
The teams traded the next six points before NSU used a kill by Glynna Johnson and a tandem block by Johnson and Abby Gardea to take a 24-22 lead.
 
Channing Burleson then delivered the clinching kill to put NSU in position for the sweep.
 
"It shows a lot of growth," Kiracofe said of the way his team finished the set. "Going into the split between (the second and third sets), I went in there and those were my exact words. I'm happier with how we finished the second set than the first set. There was some composure there. We made a few adjustments and they rolled with them. They did their jobs and pulled through."
 
After Agan's monster first set, Lamar slowed NSU's big-swinging outside hitter, which allowed NSU's middle blocker tandem of Johnson and Amanda Kunz to go to work.
 
Matched up against Grant, the Southland's leading blocker, and fellow middle blocker Cortney Moore, Johnson and Kunz answered the challenge.
 
Johnson and Kunz each had nine kills with Kunz turning in an error-free performance on 20 attacks. The NSU pair hit a combined .390 in the match, keeping Grant from recording a block in the process.
 
"I've said it before, I'll put our middles up against anybody," Kiracofe said. "Teams have to game plan against Glynna and Amanda coming in. If our pin attackers are efficient, that opens up the block for Glynna and Amanda to be offensive when the opportunity comes. They've been there all year for us when the opportunity arises."
 
Agan led NSU with 10 kills while Bailey Martin collected 19 digs. Jaeger continued her strong passing, handing out 32 assists as Northwestern State won for the second time in the first three matches of its season-long, six-match road swing.
 
Northwestern State aims for its first sweep of a road trip this season Saturday when it travels to Huntsville, Texas, to face Sam Houston State. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m.