HOUSTON – Northwestern State has owned Thursday nights in October. With the spirit of Halloween in the air the Lady Demons are hoping that trend continues on the final one of the month.
 
NSU (9-14, 3-5) travels to Houston Baptist to face its toughest Thursday opponent since the beginning of the month, coincidentally enough also Houston Baptist, who it beat in straight sets on Oct. 7.
 
First serve is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. from Sharp Gym in Houston. Live coverage links, including a paid video stream are available at www.nsudemons.com or on the NSU Athletics mobile app, a free download in either the Apple or Google stores.
 
"We've had our ups and downs, but it showed what we're capable of doing," head coach Sean Kiracofe said about NSU's 3-0 win against HBU. "They're going to be highly motivated to get a little revenge in this rematch. 
 
"A big difference this time is they've got their senior outside back and she's a first-team all-conference player and has shown several times throughout her career how good she can be. That stabilizes them in some ways that we were able to take advantage the first time around so that will change how we approach some things Thursday."
 
The Lady Demons got a huge burst of validation in their win against the Huskies three weeks ago. All the pieces came together perfectly from the very beginning with a consistent and present block setting the stage for a big night.
 
The 14 kills and .324 attack percentage, both career highs at that point for outside Symone Wesley, started her current run of consecutive double-digit kill matches that in turn has resulted in her best production of the season.
 
An average of 15.4 kills per night, and three straight double-doubles to boot heading into the weekend, has vaulted Wesley into the top 10 in kills per set in conference matches. The exciting part for the Lady Demons is that she is not alone in the climb.
 
Sophomore Breanna Burrell is right there with her and the duo have combined for the exact same production through eight league matches – 92 kills for a 3.29 per set average. They sit tied for fifth best in the Southland Conference entering Thursday.
 
"They've started to incrementally do just a little bit more," Kiracofe said of Wesley and Burrell's production. "They're right next to each other in the top 10 in the conference in points scored per set. To have that balance and have them start doing that little bit more really sets us up to have a good run in the second half of the conference schedule. 
 
"We have to stay consistent, have them stay at that level and still get production from a bunch of different people."
 
Freshman setter Piper Boydstun has been tasked with maintaining the steady offensive growth that the Lady Demons have in the past month and continuing it against a stout HBU block.
 
"It's really nice when they're swinging like that," Boydstun said. "It opens up our other hitters as well. And it's great in tight situations knowing that I can give the ball to them and know that they will do their job and put it away."
 
After an off night at the net in Natchitoches for one of the Southland's best blocking teams, the Huskies (16-7, 7-2) have since had five straight matches with 10 or more blocks and remain hold the top spot in the conference in the category with nearly three blocks per set.
 
The return of all-conference player Mikayla Vivens adds even more depth to a talented roster who's only loss since the first meeting with NSU was a five-setter at conference-leading Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.