MONROE – The Northwestern State volleyball team aims to get back in the win column with a match against in-state foe UL Monroe on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
 
Following Tuesday's match at ULM, the Lady Demons will have two days off before traveling to New Orleans to play in the Tulane Invitational beginning on Friday.
 
Tuesday's match will be the quickest turnaround the Lady Demons have faced since a weekend tournament this season.
 
"It's just part of it," third-year head coach Sean Kiracofe said. "Even in the conference schedule - just because of our numbers in the conference - we'll have a midweek every once in a while, so it's good to throw some of those in early, so when you come into it against a conference opponent it's not something that's out of the norm."
 
The Lady Demons (3-7) suffered an 0-3 week at the Rebel Classic, dropping matches to Ole Miss and Mercer on Thursday and Austin Peay on Friday. NSU built on each match, picking up a set against Mercer and pushing Austin Peay to five sets in the conclusion.
 
"Austin Peay has been having a great season so far," Kiracofe said. "They just figure out ways to win points and to win matches. We went out there. We fought. We made them work for the win, so I was happy with that."
 
In the finale against the Governors, the Lady Demons had strong individual performances from freshman Hannah Brister and Kourtney Seaton offensively and Channing Burleson on the defensive side.
 
Playing at right side against Austin Peay, Brister posted a career-best 14 kills with a .619 hitting percentage while Seaton, a middle blocker, tied a season-high 13 with kills and continued her efficient hitting with a .478 hitting percentage. Seaton is hitting .329 this season, best on the team of players with more than 10 attacks.
 
"It's obvious from the box score that she (Brister) had a great match," Kiracofe said. "It's not her natural position, and she came in and just really found ways to score. I was really happy with the way she played.
 
Nearing a career milestone of 1,000 digs, Burleson dug 52 balls in the Rebel Classic. Her 22 digs against Austin Peay brought her 40 away from the 1,000-dig mark.
 
After the ULM contest, only the Tulane Invitational stands between the Lady Demons and the Southland Conference opener. NSU will travel to Lamar on Sep. 21 to begin its conference campaign.