NATCHITOCHES – Thursday night was a mirror matchup in a sense for the Northwestern State volleyball team.
 
Visiting Stephen F. Austin swept the Lady Demons, 3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-19), and in the process gave NSU a chance to look at the way it played earlier this season.
 
"The way SFA's playing is really the way we were playing for the first half to two-thirds of this season," second-year coach Sean Kiracofe said. "Really smart controlled volleyball until you have the opportunity to be aggressive and put the ball away. To a certain extent, the style of play was looking into a mirror. That style has escaped us recently. We need to settle down, take a breath and we can get that back. We can get back to putting teams constantly adjusting to how we are attacking them."
 
The Ladyjacks (19-9, 12-3 Southland Conference) controlled much of the match at Prather Coliseum, committing just two errors in a tone-setting first set.
 
The Lady Demons (12-18, 7-8) fell below .500 in conference play for the first time this season, hitting .113 in the match as Stephen F. Austin posted eight total blocks.
 
After trailing by double digits in the first set, NSU kept the next two sets relatively close but was unable to break through.
 
Northwestern State shook off a slow start in the second set to tie the set at 11 and pull within one at 14-13. SFA's defense, however, kept the Lady Demons from stringing together many long runs en route to sweeping the season series.
 
In her first start of the season, sophomore Reagan Rogers delivered a double-double of 14 kills and 14 digs while Channing Burleson collected 19 digs, which allowed her to move into third place on NSU's single-season list, passing Keelie Arneson.

Burleson has 550 digs entering Saturday's season finale against Sam Houston State.
 
Rogers' 14 kills were her most in a Southland Conference match this season and her second-highest total overall in her sophomore campaign. Her 14 digs established a season high and were one shy of her career high.
 
"Reagan's always been there all year, just behind Lauren (Agan), just behind Alexis (Warren)," Kiracofe said. "It's always been, 'We'd love to get you in, but somebody needs to do something to allow that to happen.' She's been consistent in practice, ringing the bell, saying give me an opportunity. She had her ups and downs this match, but against a good SFA block and defense she had 14 kills and 14 digs. The double-double was fantastic to see. Everyone's going to comfortable with her out there, and we'll be comfortable with putting her out there or starting her."
 
Northwestern State concludes its regular season Saturday against Sam Houston State on Senior Day at Prather Coliseum. First serve is set for 1 p.m. after a pregame ceremony honoring the senior trio of Agan, Natalie Jaeger and Bailey Martin.