LAKE CHARLES--  McNeese volleyball will begin Southland Conference play this week with two home matches. The first 100 McNeese students to enter the gym on Tuesday will receive a T-shirt.
 
McNeese (8-6) will open the conference slate with a 7 p.m. match against Nicholls on Tuesday and a 7 p.m. match against Houston Baptist on Thursday. All home matches are will have free admission, courtesy the Lake Charles American Press. All home will be streamed live on mcneesesports.com.
 
Coming off its fourth straight tournament and being away from its home court for 13 of the first 14 matches of the season, the Cowgirls will look to build on its non-conference record and get a jump on the conference race.
 
As a team, McNeese ranks 7^th in the nation in digs with 967 and rank 16^th in digs per set with 17.58 per set. Sophomore Angela McGownd, who picked up her second straight Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week honor, has a lot to do with that. McGownd leads the conference and ranks third in the nation with 305 digs, ranking her 15^th in the nation in digs per set with 5.55.
 
Sophomore Shanna Spree leads the Cowgirls with 139 kills for an average of 2.67 per set and a .316 hitting percent. Spree also leads the league in service aces with 21.
 
Cowgirl setters Adison Giambrone and Alexandra Aguilera have both been distributing the ball this season. Giambrone has 280 assist to her credit and is averaging 5.09 per set while Aguilera has 234 for an average of 4.88 per set.
 
At the net, senior Jenny D'Alessandro and Spree have been a good blocking combination. D'Alessandro leads the team with 44 blocks while Spree has 43.
 
Nicholls (2-11) has recorded both its wins over Mississippi Valley with its most recent coming in a straight set win on Sept. 12. The Colonels enter the match on a three match-losing streak after falling to UT-Martin, Memphis and UL-Monroe in straight sets at the Memphis Invitational last weekend.