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Photo by Clyde Verdin

Lady Demon Volleyball Drew Bartlett - Graduate Assistant

Lady Demons stay on the road for contest against SFA

Lady Demon Volleyball Drew Bartlett - Graduate Assistant

Lady Demons stay on the road for contest against SFA

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Northwestern State volleyball team aims for another fast start in Southland Conference play with a chance to get to 2-0 when it faces Stephen F. Austin on Saturday at 1 p.m.

With the win against Lamar on Thursday, the Lady Demons (5-10, 1-0 Southland) have won their SLC opener in five of the previous six seasons.

The Lady Demons also open with three straight road conference matches for the second consecutive year. Following Saturday's match at SFA, NSU will return home for a non-conference match against Alcorn on Sep. 28 before hitting the road again with a match at Central Arkansas on Sep. 30.

The Lady Demons' SLC home opener is scheduled for Oct. 5 against Incarnate Word.

"Something that I stressed right when I got here is to be able to play on the road," third-year head coach Sean Kiracofe said. "Don't just get comfortable with saying 'home-court advantage.' Go out there and get in the mind-set that you're going to go steal one away from people on the road. I think that's something that we've done really well in my three years here."

In 2016, NSU went 6-5 as the visiting team and have built on that coming into this season, already with a 4-2 record as the away team.

Reaching the 2-0 conference mark requires going through a Stephen F. Austin team that currently sits at 13-4, 1-0 and finished as the Southland Conference Tournament runner up a season ago.

"They're having a great preseason," Kiracofe said. "They're running a 6-2 this year. They've moved some people around position wise. It's going to be a unique look this year."

NSU has leaned on a solid defense in the young season, holding opponents to a .184 hitting percentage – fourth in the conference. On Thursday, the Lady Demons held Lamar to a .078 hitting percentage, the lowest opponent hitting percentage in 2017 SLC openers. 

Thursday's dominant defensive performance was highlighted by a match-high, five-block performance from middle blocker Kourtney Seaton and a match-high 14 digs from libero Channing Burleson.

Burleson needs just four digs to supplant Rachel Ford at 1,059 for the seventh-most career digs in NSU history.

Offensively, the Lady Demons have fed the hot hand this season, resulting in four players recording more than 100 kills.

Outside hitter Reagan Rogers leads the team in kills on the year with 162 as she averages 2.95 kills per set, good for seventh in the conference.

Seaton leads the Lady Demons in offensive efficiency, hitting for .325 – fifth-best in the conference.

Updates for Saturday's match against the Ladyjacks will be posted live on Twitter @NSUDemonsVB.
 
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Players Mentioned

Channing Burleson

#1 Channing Burleson

OH/L
5' 8"
Junior
Reagan Rogers

#5 Reagan Rogers

OH
6' 0"
Junior
Kourtney Seaton

#3 Kourtney Seaton

MB
6' 2"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Channing Burleson

#1 Channing Burleson

5' 8"
Junior
OH/L
Reagan Rogers

#5 Reagan Rogers

6' 0"
Junior
OH
Kourtney Seaton

#3 Kourtney Seaton

6' 2"
Sophomore
MB