HOSUTON, Texas – HCU finished off the regular season schedule with a 25-18, 27-25, 25-18 "Senior Day" sweep of Nicholls in Sharp Gym on Saturday. The Huskies, winners of their last four matches, will be the fourth seed in next week's conference tournament hosted by Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Nicholls got started quickly in the opening set grabbing an early 5-1 lead. The Colonels increased the lead to five points at 9-4 before the Huskies tallied five straight points book-ended with kills by
Sara Arroyo to tie the game at 9-9. HCU claimed their first lead of the match at 13-12 off back-to-back kills by
Anna Gadway. After two points by the Colonels, the Huskies rallied with a five-point run including two straight kills by
Cassidy Drapela to reclaim and extend the lead to four at 18-14. HCU claimed the opening set, 25-18, off three straight points starting with a kill by Arroyo before an ace by
Grace McLaughlin and a kill by Gadway closed out set one.
Now down a game, the Colonels started set two similar to set one, grabbing an early 4-2 lead before the Huskies rebounded with a six-point run to take a 10-6 lead. Nicholls answered tying the set at 11-11 before kills by Arroyo and Drapela and a block by
Lexie Temple and Gadway extended HCU's lead back to three points at 14-11. HCU increased the lead to five points at 18-13 with an ace by Caroccio before the Colonels clawed their way back to tie the set at 19-19.
The Huskies reclaimed the lead at 23-22 until the Colonels forced set point at 24-23. The Huskies responded with a kill by Gadway and a block by
Audrey Pearce to force set point for Nicholls. After the Colonels tied the set at 25-25, HCU closed out the second set with kills by Pearce and Drapela to win set two, 27-25.
The Huskies came out firing in the decisive third set taking an early 4-1 lead. HCU extended their lead to six points off a four-point run capped off with an ace by
Tatiana Evans to hold an 8-2 lead.
The Huskies increased the lead to seven points at 10-3 before the Colonels got within two points at 12-10. HCU reclaimed the lead back to five points at 18-13 and grew the lead to seven points at 21-14.
The Huskies closed out the third set, 25-18, scoring four off the last six points with two kills each by Temple and Arroyo.
The Huskies (18-12, 13-5 SLC) were led by Drapela with 14 kills while Arroyo added 11. McLaughlin recorded 43 assists and
Kaley Feris led the defense with 14 digs.
The Colonels (4-24, 2-16 SLC) were led by Gracie Campbell with 10 kills and 14 digs. Kendall Battistella recorded 12 assists while Berra Soyler added 11 assists. Rae Leano led the Colonel's back line with five digs.
The
2023 Southland Conference Volleyball Tournament will kick off on Thursday at Dugan Wellness Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. HCU will play on Friday afternoon at 3 pm against the winner of Thursday's match between #5 Northwestern State and #8 Texas A&M-Commerce.
Live broadcast for all conference tournament matchups will be available at ESPN+!
