NATCHITOCHES – Extending success on the home court is one of the Northwestern State volleyball team's key goals.
 
As NSU prepares for one of its busiest weeks of the season, it brings with it some momentum from a slump-snapping victory and the comforts of playing at home.
 
Northwestern State (3-12, 1-1) hosts Sam Houston State (7-8, 1-0) at 7 p.m. Tuesday, kicking off a stretch of three Southland Conference matches in five days.
 
"You always want more time to prepare for the next opponent, and we don't have that this week," first-year head coach Sean Kiracofe said. "It's a rush to get a scout done and video with the team (Monday) to get ready for Tuesday and then travel Wednesday and do the same thing Thursday and again for Saturday at Incarnate Word.
 
"I would love to be able to have more time to ease into a scout, but everyone has to do it at least once during the season."
 
NSU enters the rematch of last year's Southland Conference Tournament quarterfinals after snapping a 10-match losing streak with a sweep of Nicholls on Saturday.
 
Northwestern State is 2-1 at home this season after splitting its first two Southland home matches of 2015. In the last two-plus seasons, NSU is 16-5 in the familiar surrounds of Prather Coliseum.
 
"We've talked all year about maintaining our home-court advantage and improving the road record," Kiracofe said. 
 
Sam Houston enters the match off a 3-1 victory against Lamar in its Southland opener on Friday.
 
The Bearkats have had to replace three-time first-team All-Southland Conference honoree Deveney Wells-Gibson and have done so by relying on the combination of Brooke White and Jordyn Vaughn, who average a combined 7 kills per set.
 
"Sam Houston always plays really tough, very aggressive on defense," Kiracofe said. "They're going to keep plays alive. There are going to be long rallies. You've got to be focused throughout the point. They still have some good attackers, a lot of talent on the roster. It's going to be interesting because they do a couple of things different than other teams we've played in preseason and in conference."
 
After Tuesday, Northwestern State hits the road for the first time in conference play this season. NSU travels to Abilene Christian on Thursday (6:30 p.m.) before heading to San Antonio to face Incarnate Word at 11 a.m. Saturday.