THIBODAUX, La. – HBU claimed the first two sets, but Nicholls rallied to send the match to decisive fifth set, before the Huskies were able to hold on for a 3-2 (25-13, 25-18, 23-25, 20-25, 15-12) victory in Southland Conference volleyball Thursday night in Stopher Gym.
 
Redshirt freshman outside hitter Reagan Leinen hit .333 and recorded a career-high 15 kills for the Huskies (2-5, 1-0 SLC), while senior outside hitter Mikayla Vivens posted a double-double with 11 kills and 17 digs. Junior middle blocker Jada Allen added 10 kills and three blocks, while sophomore middle blocker Ebonie Ballesteros had nine kills and eight blocks. Sophomore right side Anna Gadway chipped in with six kills, a career-high 16 digs, five blocks and four aces. Sophomore setter Ellie Wipf dished out 47 assists, recorded four kills and six digs. Redshirt freshman Kaley Feris had a career-high 24 digs and freshman Madeline McKinney had 12.
 
Yani Johnson led Nicholls (0-4, 0-3) with 13 kills and Emily Gauthreaux had 11 kills and 11 digs. Aaliyah Burras added nine kills and five blocks and Katie Jones had eight kills. Meghan Wozniak handed out 33 assists and Jaida Felix had 17. Kylie Lockhart led the Colonels defensively with 26 digs and Devon Bright had 10 to go along with eight kills.
 
HBU hit .216, while Nicholls hit .161. The Huskies outdug the Colonels, 79-77, and outblocked them, 12-9. HBU had eight aces to Nicholls' six.
 
The Huskies scored the first three points and four of the first five in the fifth set, but the Colonels scored the next two. HBU won three-straight points, capped by a block from Allen and Vivens. Nicholls bounced right back and tied the set at 7-7 by scoring the next four points. Allen put a halt to the run with a kill, then later had another to put the Huskies ahead, 10-7. The Colonels would not go away as they put together another three-point run to knot the set at 10-10.
 
Still tied at 11-11, HBU finally took control as Ballesteros and Leinen each had kills and the duo teamed up for a block to get to set point up by three. After Nicholls sided out with a kill by Gauthreaux, Vivens put the match away with a kill for the 15-12 decision.
 
The Huskies wrap up the road trip by facing New Orleans Saturday at 11 a.m. in New Orleans.