Leading the team in assists in this season and last season alike, senior setter Jordan Karst has continually set her team up for success.

Behind Karst, the business administration senior from Woodstock, Ga., the Colonels’ volleyball team won 11 consecutive games, while accumulating a 12-3 record on the season. Last year, she led the team and finished ninth in the Southland Conference with 8.84 assists per set.

In this season’s opener versus Portland State, Karst led the Colonels with 21 assists. On Sept. 16, she posted 54 assists, a season record, versus University of Louisiana at Monroe in the opening round of the 2011 PRO-MAG Bayou Invitational. With a winning joust at the net, Karst ended the match in style, giving Nicholls the win after a hard-fought five set thriller.

Q: The volleyball team is currently 12-3 and has won the last two tournaments. How are things going thus far in the season and what has made the difference from last season’s 14 win, 16 loss performance?

A: Everything is going great, and it is nice to be on top of things. We are definitely a lot better than we were last season. One reason being we have a lot of new girls that have come in and contributed to our overall hustle, which has produced some victories. Last year, we got down on ourselves, which would ultimately result in us giving up. On this year’s team, we have girls that refuse to give up.

Q: What are your thoughts on the 11-game win streak?

A: A win streak of this proportion is a first for Colonel volleyball. We are very proud to have accomplished a feat of this magnitude, and we plan to build on it as we enter conference play this week.

Q: Having won the past two tournaments, how have these competitions improved the team?

A: Both tournaments have been such great confidence boosters at a much-needed time, right before conference play starts next week. We definitely have a lot of momentum moving forward on the year.

Q: Last tournament, the team overcame a two set deficit to beat Jackson State, and last night the team also won a thrilling five-set match against UL-Monroe. What is the feeling after winning such a hard fought match in a tournament that Nicholls is hosting?

A: Winning such a difficult match is a great accomplishment. Looking back, all the hustle points paid off. There are actually no words to describe it.

Q: What made you want to play volleyball at Nicholls State University?

A: I am from Georgia, so it was nice to get a change of scenery, especially since Thibodaux is so much different from where I am from. Nicholls seemed like such a good fit for what I was looking for.

Q: As a senior on the team, what is the difference from this season compared to your previous seasons here?

A: As a whole, we are all on the same page. It seems like in the past, we have had some differences on the team. But now, we are playing as a unified team.

Q: Could you define your role as a setter?

A: A setter is a position that in a way sets the tone of play. In comparison to football, the setter is the quarterback of the team.

Q: Do you think the team can finish the season playing at this level and could potentially win the Southland Conference?

A: Yes, I think we have the potential to go all the way this year. I have been here for four years, and I can honestly say that this is the best team I have been a part of in my Nicholls career. Where we are currently will blow people’s minds, especially since we are always considered the under-dogs. I have a feeling this will be a good year.

Q: Does the team have a specific motto or song dedicated to this season?

A: I am not exactly sure how this got started, but we say “Let’s make magic.” This must have stemmed from the preseason, when we started listening to B.O.B.’s song entitled “Magic.”

Q: How long have you been playing volleyball, and did you play other sports growing up?

A: I started playing volleyball in eighth grade. But I also played basketball, softball and golf in high school.

Q: Where do you see yourself 15 years from now?

A: I plan to be married with children and hopefully wealthy.

Q: What is the greatest gift volleyball has given you?

A: Volleyball has helped me tremendously in terms of growing as a person. It has made me mentally tough, and it has taught me to overcome hard times. Through practices and matches, I have learned how to handle different types of situations.

Q: What is your most cherished experience that you have forged through volleyball?

A: The friendships I have made are what I cherish most. Though I will be graduating this year, I know that I will always have connections with these girls and we will be friends for a very long time.