THIBODAUX --  For the second time this season, McNeese volleyball picked up a straight set (25-17, 25-20, 25-19) sweep at Nicholls Tuesday night in the first of three matches for the Cowgirls this week.  The Cowgirls will travel to second place Stephen F. Austin Thursday and will end the week with a key match at Lamar Saturday.
 
McKenzie Moore led McNeese with her eighth double double of the season.  Moore picked up a match high 17 kills and added 10 digs and also led the Cowgirls with four blocks. Lacie Schooley added 12 kills while Bailey Tillman led all players with 22 digs.  Megan Grose and Corynne Hausler both dished out double figure assists.  Grose had 19 and Hausler ended the match with 11.
 
McNeese (9-15, 5-7 SLC) opened the match by exchanging points with Nicholls (7-16, 2-10) before a 3-0 run gave McNeese a 14-10 lead.  Another 4-0 run later in the set put the Cowgirls up  22-13.  After a 4-0 Nicholls run brought the Colonels to within five points, the Cowgirls ended the set on a 3-0 run to take the first set.
 
The Cowgirls held a 5-2 lead in set two after the first seven points,  Nicholls tied the match at 16 apiece before a kill by Lacie Schooley was the first of the final nine points of the set that gave the Cowgirls an overall 25-20 lead.
 
McNeese took an early 5-1 lead in the third set then led 6-3 before Nicholls went on an 11-0 run to take a 14-6 lead.  The Cowgirls rallied back to tie the set at 17 apiece following a 13-3 run behind the serve of Kendall Osgood.
 
Nicholls won the next point on a McNeese serving error to lead 18-17 but that lead didn't last long when McKenzie Moore's kill tied the set at 18 and was the start of a 6-0 run to give the Cowgirls a 23-18 lead.
 
Following a Nicholls kill, Moore put down another kill for a 24-19 lead before a block assist by Leilani Goggin and Naterah Moore ended the match to complete the comeback.