Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Southeastern Louisiana University volleyball team returns to the road this week for a pair of Southland Conference matches at in-state rivals Nicholls and New Orleans.

SLU (4-12, 3-2 SLC) squares off against Nicholls (7-10, 0-5 SLC) at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Stopher Gym in Thibodaux, Louisiana and UNO (1-12, 1-4 SLC) at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Human Performance Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Live stats are available for both matches while Saturday’s contest on the lakefront will stream on ESPN+. Media links can be found on the volleyball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.

Southeastern faces both schools for the first of two times this season. Following a non-conference contest Tuesday at Jackson State, the Lady Lions return home to host both squads in a rematch.

SLU freshman Cicily Hidalgo, an outside hitter from Opelousas, Louisiana, leads the Southland in total kills (273), kills per set (4.07), points (293.0), points per set (4.37), total attacks (761) and attacks per set (11.36).

Other key personnel driving the SLU offensive attack are Karlee Wilkerson (2.55 k/set), a senior from Springfield, Louisiana, Crispin Adams (1.82 k/set), a preseason All-Conference selection from Brookshire, Texas, and Addie Vidrine (1.77 k/set), a junior from Lafayette, Louisiana.

Adams is 10th in attack percentage (.252) while Wilkerson ranks 11th in the conference in kills.

Gracie Duplechein (8.09 a/set), a freshman from St. Amant, Louisiana, has taken over as the primary setter and currently ranks second in the conference in total assists (542).

Ansley Tullis, a sophomore libero from Slidell, Louisiana, leads the team with 4.10 digs per set, ranking sixth in the Southland.

The Lady Lions are coming off a pair of five-set matches at home this past week, defeating McNeese and falling to HBU. Nicholls has dropped seven straight decisions since defeating Belmont to open up the War Eagle Invitational, Sept. 17, in Auburn, Alabama.

Emily Gauthreaux (2.74 k/set), Paige Guidry (2.15 k/set), Aaliyah Burras (2.07 k/set) and Lilly Bivens (7.06 a/set) provide the bulk of the Colonels’ offense. Gauthreaux ranks fifth in kills and Burras is fifth in attack percentage (.300). Bivens is seventh in assists.

Defensively, Kylie Lockhart ranks seventh in digs (4.02 d/set).

UNO, which matches up Thursday against Northwestern State (7-13, 1-4 SLC), has dropped four consecutive since knocking off Nicholls in each team’s conference opener back on Sept. 25 in Thibodaux.

Alexis Parrish (2.55 k/set), Trinity Jackson (2.54 k/set) and Kai Williams (2.26 k/set) are the Privateers’ top offensive threats. Maite Solabarrieta (7.59 a/set) and Lucie Pokorna (7.24 a/set) split setting duties, ranking fifth and sixth in the Southland, respectively.

Sh’Diamond Holly (1.05 b/set), Maxine Walsh (0.96 b/set) and Atira Jells (0.94 b/set) are the fifth, sixth and seventh-ranked blockers in the conference, respectively. Sheilah Purcell is third in digs (4.46 d/set).

UP NEXT

Southeastern’s non-conference match at Jackson State, postponed in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, is now set for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Lee E. Williams Athletic and Assembly Center in Jackson, Mississippi.

DIGGIN’ IT CLUB / S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the Southeastern volleyball program are encouraged to join the Diggin’ It Club. Lion volleyball alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.

All membership fees and donations to both the Diggin’ It Club and S Club (volleyball) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern volleyball program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Lady Lions Volleyball, follow @LionUpVB or @JWhiteSLU on Twitter, @LionUpVB on Instagram, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.