Early first-set lead fails to hold up as Nicholls volleyball team swept in three games by McNeese

A five-point run in the first set allowed Nicholls to take a 15-12 lead before the Lady Colonels saw McNeese go on a 13-2 run in an eventual 17-25 loss.

Nicholls would go on to drop the next two sets 19-25, 18-25 to lose in three games.

It marked the 13th time in 22 matches Nicholls has been swept in three games this season as the Lady Colonels fell to 1-11 in the Southland Conference and 3-19 overall.

McNeese, which defeated Nicholls in a three-game sweep earlier this season in Lake Charles, improved to 9-3 in the Southland and 11-14 overall.

First-year Nicholls coach Jonea Rima did not meet with the media following the loss, the Lady Colonels’ 14th in the last 15 matches.

A kill by Jhayla Bolden gave Nicholls its 15-12 lead in the opening set before a media timeout. After the break, the Cowgirls took over as the Lady Colonels would score only twice more in the set.

Nicholls made it 16-13 on a kill by Addison Phares.

McNeese scored three points off of Kendall Osgood’s serve to tie the game 16-16. The Cowgirls took the lead for good on a kill by Carissa Chainey.

Nicholls’ final point of the set came on an attack error by Chainey to make it 17-21 before McNeese went on to score the final four points of the set. Set point came on an attack error by Mackenzie Pryor.

The only time Nicholls held the lead in the second game was at 2-1. Nicholls managed to stay within two points of McNeese until a serve error by Autumn Perry caused the Lady Colonels to trail 9-12.

With Nicholls trailing 18-24, a Gracie Campbell kill gave her team their final point of the set before McNeese closed out the game at 18-25 on a kill by Kayla Wilson.

The third game was tied at 3-3 before the Cowgirls took the lead for good on a three-point run off the serve of Emma Hendricks on a kill by Tshilanda Diouf, a Hendricks service ace, and an attack error by Campbell.

The closest Nicholls would get in the closing moments of the match was at 18-22 on a kill by Campbell.

With Nicholls trailing 24-18, match point came on a Campbell attack error.

Chainey had 17 kills and Wilson 14. Wilson also led McNeese with five block assists. Hendricks amassed 47 assists in the three-set contest.

Campbell had 11 kills for Nicholls. No other Lady Colonel had more than six. Campbell also led the team with 10 digs.

Nicholls will be back in action Thursday when the Lady Colonels play at Southland Conference-leading Southeastern Louisiana.