After dropping two games at the Radisson Invitational to Wright State and the host Tulane Green Wave over the past weekend, the Lady Colonels volleyball team got their first win of the 2003 season as they swept past Elon 30-21, 30-14, 30-24.
In the 61st meeting between the two schools, the Lady Colonels lost to the host Green Wave last Friday night 3-2 (33-31, 23-30, 30-13, 29-31, 15-13) early in tournament play.
The Lady Colonels most notable stat of the night, however, was blocks posted. The Lady Colonels had 14.5 blocks posted, as six different players got involved in the “block party.”
In her debut as a Lady Colonel, senior outside hitter Caley Carter led the team in kills with 20, and pitched in seven digs to go along with four blocks.
With a team high seven block assists, junior middle blocker Brenda Ross had 13 kills while second team Preseason All-South Conference selection Becca Beall chipped in 14. Senior libero Cheri White, one of the Lady Colonels best defenders, finished the night with a match best 21 digs.
Head volleyball coach M.J. Engstrom also had contributions from freshman middle blocker KaLeigh Butler who finished her first collegiate volleyball game with a five-block assist and four kills.
Finishing the night with 46 assists, junior setter Joana Garboggini had the second most digs for the Lady Colonels, rounding out the night with 18, trailing only Beall who had 20.
Although the Lady Colonels lost, Tulane’s head volleyball coach Betsy Becker was impressed with the Lady Colonels’ style of play.
“Give credit to Nicholls State because they were like a backboard in basketball,” Becker said. “Everything we hit at them, they sent it right back.”
The Lady Colonels put the lost verses Tulane behind them as they took on Wright State Saturday morning and Elon in an afternoon match.
Unfortunately, Wright State came away with the win against the Lady Colonels (30-24, 30-23, 30-25); however, the Lady Colonels got their first win of the 2003 season as they dispersed Elon (30-21, 30-14, 30-24).
In the win Caley Carter led the team with 15 kills, while Becca Beall finished with 12. Cheri White led all players with 13 digs in the contest, and Joana Garboggini chipped in 31 assists.
The Lady Colonels led in nearly every statistical category, as the Lady Colonel hitters dominated the match, by making only 11 errors on 93 attack attempts. The win improved the Lady Colonels record to 1-2 on the season.
The Lady Colonels will travel to Austin, Texas Sept. 5 to play against nationally ranked Texas University and the University of Houston.