EDINBURG, Texas – The Northwestern State Demon volleyball team will go back on the road this week starting Thursday at 6:30 p.m. against the UT-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros as Southland Conference play continues.

The Demons (1-15, 0-2 SLC) showed signs of progress despite Saturday's loss to Houston Christian (7-8, 2-0 SLC). NSU had the match tied at 20-20 in the first set before falling 25-20 and then trailed just 24-23 in the third set before HCU clinched the win.

"It's all a process," said Demon head coach Ben Kaszeta. "The results are important, but we can't get too focused on it to where we are so worried about it that we don't get better. Our energy and effort have been really good but now we have to start matching it with some execution."

The Demons enter the weekend leading the conference in aces (100) led by junior Jade Longlad. The Calgary, Canada native has 33 aces which also leads the league and is tied for fifth in the nation. The University of Central Florida's Skylar English has 38 to lead the country.

Redshirt freshman Reagan Hamm is fifth in the league with 51 aces. Samaya Wesson is third in the Southland in blocks (21) while Emmarie McFarland is 10^th in the conference in digs (180).

The Vaqueros (6-7, 1-1 SLC) opened conference play last week with a home win over Lamar (7-10, 0-2 SLC) 3-0 before falling on the road to Stephen F. Austin (7-6, 2-0 SLC), 3-2.

UTRGV is led by freshman outside hitter Dimitra Nanou with 119 kills (2.98 KPS). Isabella Costantini is the table setter for the Vaqueros. The junior is second in the conference in assists with 432 behind Virginia Van Der Werff (439) of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

This is just the seventh all-time meeting between NSU and UTRGV with the Vaqueros leading 5-2 and winning three in a row. The Vaqueros defeated the Demons in both matches last year 3-1. 

Following Thursday's match, the Demons will travel will make the two-hour trip from Edinburg to Corpus Christi, Texas to face the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders.