After playing their last six matches on the road, the Nicholls volleyball team returns home this weekend to host conference-foes Lamar and McNeese State in Stopher Gymnasium. In addition, former players will be welcomed back, as the Colonels celebrate 30 years of Nicholls volleyball.

The Colonels begin play on Friday evening against Lamar at 7 p.m. and will wrap up the weekend against McNeese State on Saturday at 2 p.m.

“These two teams bring very similar styles of play to us,” said head coach Chris Laird. “They use two people to control the match. Because of this, both games are definitely going to be a challenge. If we play the way that we are capable, then we should be in fine shape. Recently, we have struggled with our consistency, but we have been working very hard on improving. I feel confident that we are going to have a good weekend.”

Nicholls heads into the weekend with a 7-11 overall record and 1-2 mark in the Southland Conference after back-to-back losses last weekend at Central Arkansas and Northwestern State.

Senior outside hitter Atina Porter leads the Colonels with 294 kills and 53 total blocks. Porter leads the Southland Conference with 4.74 kills per game. Sophomore Enjoli Ford paces Nicholls with an average of 3.42 digs per game, while freshman setter Amy Whitehead ranks fifth in the SLC averaging 10.00 assists per game.

Lamar also enters Friday’s match on a two-game slide, having dropped both of their matches last week against Rice and McNeese. The Lady Cardinals are 6-12 on the season, with a 2-1 record in the conference.

The Lady Cardinals are led by senior Buchi Okoh who has knocked down 220 kills (3.38 per game) and a .338 hitting percentage. Freshman Adrianne Meengs and sophomore Ashley Todd split the setting duties, dishing out 375 and 366 assists respectively. Defensively, Alex Brink leads Lamar with 232 digs, while Okoh has recorded 75 blocks.

McNeese State comes to Thibodaux sporting a 4-9 overall record and 3-0 mark in the SLC.

Chanel Tyler and Tiffany Baker lead the Cowgirl’s offense averaging 3.15 and 2.48 kills apiece. Setter Sarah Cartie has 427 assists on the season, an average of 9.70 assists per game. Jessica Strama heads the McNeese defense with 230 digs (5.23 digs per game).