NATCHITOCHES, Louisiana – HCU volleyball faced Northwestern State at Prather Coliseum in a tightly contested Southland Conference match that extended to five sets. The final score read 27-14, 25-25, 17 in favor of Northwestern State.
To open the match, both teams exchanged points in an intense first set, pushing play into extra points. The Huskies fought hard with strong kills from
Emerald Jacobs, who led with 26 kills overall, and solid assists from
Grace McLaughlin, who recorded 58 assists. Despite HCU's efforts, Northwestern State clinched the set, edging out the Huskies 29-27.
In the second set, Northwestern State took control, pulling ahead early and holding their lead. Strong attacks by Reaghan Thompson and Teresa Garza, who contributed 23 total kills, helped secure a 25-14 victory, giving Northwestern State a 2-0 advantage.
Later, in the third set, HCU rallied, with Jacobs and
Audrey Pearce adding crucial kills. The Huskies built momentum, controlling the pace to win the set 25-18, marking their first win of the match.
As the match progressed into the fourth set, both teams battled for every point in a close, hard-fought exchange. The Huskies held on, narrowly winning 25-23 to push the match to a decisive fifth set. McLaughlin and Jacobs continued to lead in assists and kills.
Finally, in the fifth set, both teams fought hard, trading points in a back-and-forth battle. Northwestern State ultimately prevailed with a 19-17 win, relying on key blocks and Garza's strong performance to secure the match victory.
Throughout the match, Jacobs led the team in kills with 26, followed by Pearce with 13 and
Ana Garza with 10. Jacobs also contributed two aces alongside
Alexia Jones, with
Tatiana Evans adding another. Pearce,
Allana Archie, and Garza each recorded three blocks, while McLaughlin's 58 assists anchored the Huskies' playmaking. Defensively, Jacobs led with 19 digs, closely followed by McLaughlin (16) and Evans (13), showcasing HCU's all-around effort.
Next, HCU will travel to New Orleans for their upcoming SLC match on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 1 p.m.
