NEW ORLEANS – The LSU New Orleans Privateers volleyball team will travel for a pair of in-state matches as they face Nicholls on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and McNeese on Saturday at 10 a.m.
 
The Nicholls match will be carried on ESPN+.
 
The Privateers were resolute in defeat in their last match against UTRGV on Saturday. They became the fourth team to take a set off of UTRGV in conference when they won the second set of Saturday's contest.
 
Ava Frerman set a new career-high in kills when she went for 14 against the Vaqueros. It was the second match in her young career that Frerman had reached double figures in kills. She also had 11 against Florida A&M on Sept. 19.
 
Several Privateers are closing in on career milestones. Defne Eciroglu is 62 assists away from 2,000 for her career entering this week's matches. Vladana Ristic is 53 digs away from 1,000 for her collegiate career.
 
Laura Piva needs 55 more kills to notch 1,000 career and Rylie Hallman needs 52 assists to reach 1,000 for her collegiate career.
 
Armie Hall is ranked in the top 200 in NCAA Div. I in total kills and kills per set entering the week. Hall piled 25 more kills onto her season total, which now stands at 268 coming into this week. Hall is averaging 3.31 kills per set.
 
Nyakuak Lual recorded 12 blocks in seven sets last week. On the season, Lual ranks tied for fifth in the conference in blocks per set with 1.00. That total would be the fifth highest in a single season by a Privateer over the last 20 years.
 
The Privateers lost to both Nicholls and McNeese at home earlier this season. LSU New Orleans is 45-37 all-time against Nicholls and 14-15 in matches played in Thibodaux. Against McNeese, the Privateers have a 20-39 all-time record and are 5-20 in Lake Charles.
 
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS
Nicholls is looking to snap a five-match conference losing streak since their last win which was against the Privateers on Oct. 8. The Colonels sit at 2-8 in Southland play. Isabella Padilla ranks fifth in the conference in assists with 7.11 per set. Madison Smith is averaging 3.21 kills per set to lead the team.
 
McNeese is at 4-6 in Southland play and is tied for seventh in the conference standings with six matches remaining. Sophia Tocmo leads the conference in digs per set with 5.0 and Ava Henry is tied for fourth in the league in hitting percentage at a .328 clip over 406 attempts.
 
SEASON TICKETS
Tickets for all home matches are available here.
 
ABOUT LSU NEW ORLEANS
In July of 2026 the University of New Orleans rejoined the LSU system and rebranded to "LSU New Orleans" bringing together two powerful brands - the purple and gold of LSU with the unbreakable spirit of New Orleans. The transition marks a return to the LSU family for the University - a place it called home from 1958-2011. Athletic teams will remain the Privateers and continue to compete in the Southland Conference.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow @PrivateersVB on X, @PrivateersVB on Instagram, like /PrivateersVB on Facebook and subscribe to the PrivateerAthletics YouTube channel.