Colonels sweep MVSU in home opener Tuesday

Freshman Imanie Williams smashed a career-high 16 kills as the Nicholls State University volleyball squad swept Mississippi Valley State, 25-19, 25-23, 25-14, Tuesday night at Stopher Gym.
Williams, a native of Hutto, Texas, is the only Nicholls student-athlete with four double-digit kill performances this season. Senior outside hitter Stephanie Tobison (11 kills, 11 digs) and junior setter Jade Piper (24 assists, 11 digs) contributed double-doubles, marking the third occurrence for both.
“(Imanie) was a stud,” Nicholls Head Coach Tommy Harold said in a news release. “She went out there and took some swings on the ball. She was aggressive, and that’s what we’ve been trying to get her to do. She’s responding and getting better each week. I’m fired up about her. She had a great match.”
Williams made an impression early, tallying six kills in the opening stanza as the Colonels (2-8) never lost the lead after the 1-1 tie. Nicholls had one four-point and two three-point runs to make quick work of the Devilettes (1-9) in set one.
The Colonels also got off to a quick start in the second set, scoring the first four points.
Mississippi Valley pushed three points toward the backend of the set to tie it at 23 apiece, but Nicholls closed with back-to-back kills by Tobison and Williams.
After the two sides traded the first four points of the deciding set, the Colonels outscored the Devilettes 7-1 in the next eight points to take control of the frame and eventually take the match.
Nicholls junior right side/outside hitter Brie Hill, a Berwick High alum, had five kills in the match.
Nicholls concludes tournament play this weekend at the Memphis Invitational. The Colonels begin the event Friday against UT-Martin at noon.
“This past weekend, we played close with everybody just about halfway through the set, and then we let things get away from us,” Harold said. “We’ve got to be able to maintain that level for an entire match, not just get on ebbs and flows.”