THIBODAUX— McNeese volleyball used solid play at the net to out block Nicholls with a season high 22 blocks in its 3-1 (25-23, 25-20, 25-27, 25-21) Southland Conference win Thursday night. The 22 blocks is the fourth most in a single match in program history.

The last time a McNeese team picked up at least 20 blocks in a match was against Southeastern in 2016. Nicholls ended their night with 12 blocks. Half of the McNeese blocks came in the first set to set the tone for the rest of the match.
 
The win extends the Cowgirls winning streak to four matches, improving to 14-9 overall and 8-4 in the SLC. The loss drops Nicholls to 9-14 overall and 2-9 in league play.
 
Junior outside hitter Anyse Smith led all players with a career high 22 kills while Aryn Johnson added 16 kills. The Cowgirls were led in blocks by Jaylin Gordon and Bria Plante. Gordon was credited with six blocks while Plante picked up five.
 
Four Cowgirls notched double figure digs with Ceci Harness led the Cowgirls with a career high 12 and Bailey Tillman missed tying her career high by one dig as she was credited with 11. Lizzy Low and Baylee Laskoskie were credited with 10 apiece.
 
In the opening set, McNeese used solid blocking to take a 13-12 lead after trailing 9-12.
 
Following a Nicholls service error, a block assists by Kendall Glueck and Gordon was the first of four more McNeese points. After a Glueck kill, Gordon came up with a solo block then teams up with Smith for a block solo to give the Cowgirls the lead.
 
With the Cowgirls leading 21-17, Nicholls scored five of the next six points to even the set at 22 apiece. McNeese got two more kills from Glueck and a point off a Nicholls ball handling error to take a 1-0 lead.
 
Nicholls held a 15-12 lead in set two but a five-point scoring run by McNeese put the Cowgirls up 17-15 behind three kills by Smith. McNeese extended its lead to 23-19 before Macee Krpece's kill and a block assists by Krpec and Plante gave the Cowgirls the 25-20 win.
 
McNeese held a 20-17 lead in set three but the Colonels didn't go away as they scored the next four points to take a 21-20 lead. The set would consist of five more ties and with it knotted at 25 all, Nicholls picked up two straight kills to win the set 27-25 to stay alive in the match.
 
The Cowgirls opened the final set by scoring the first four points to take a 4-0 lead then extended the lead to 13-8. Nicholls made two late runs to cut the lead to 21-20 and then again at 22-21 but three straight kills, one by Krpec and two by Johnson ended the match for the 25-21 Cowgirl win in set four.
 
MATCH NOTES
•- The win extend the Cowgirls' winning streak to four matches
•- As a team, McNeese picked up a season high 22 blocks, 11 of the 22 blocks came in set one
•- The 22 blocks is the fourth highest amount of blocks in a match by a McNeese team
•- The 22 blocks is the first time a McNeese team records at least 20 blocks since the 2016 team picked up 21 against Southeastern
•- Anyse Smith led all players with a career high 22 kills
•- Aryn Johnson also recorded double figure kills with 16
•- Four Cowgirls picked up 10 or more digs
•- Ceci Harness was credited with a career high 12
•- Bailey Tillman missed tying her career high of 12 by one dig, she was credited with 11 digs
•- Lizzy Low and Bailey Laskoskie were both credited with 10 digs apiece.