MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team will compete in the Homewood Suites Classic at Alico Arena this weekend in Fort Myers, Fla.
The two-day tournament, hosted by Florida Gulf Coast, will feature USA, FGCU, Indiana and Marist. South Alabama (6-1) will open the tournament against Marist at 9 a.m. (CT) Friday, followed by a 5 p.m. (CT) contest with FGCU. The Jaguars will close the tournament with a noon (CT) match against Indiana on Saturday.
Live streaming for USA's matches against FGCU and Indiana will be available at Eversport.TV, while live stats will be provided at FGCUAthletics.com.
South Alabama is off to its best start since 1980, when it won its first nine games of the season. The Jags enter the weekend with a four-game winning streak, as well as the best record in the Sun Belt Conference. USA ranks second in the league in hitting percentage (.243), third in service aces per set (1.79) and fifth in blocks per set (2.04).
Freshman outside hitter Iva Durdanovic ranks fifth in the SBC in service aces per set (0.48), while Arissa Chappell is seventh in the league with 0.39 per set. Senior middle blocker Sarah Richardson ranks fifth in the SBC in hitting percentage (.339) entering the weekend. Richardson was named the most valuable player at last weekend's Jaguar Invitational after recording 23 kills and a .413 hitting percentage in three matches.
Durdanovic leads USA with three double-doubles this season, with her most recent coming in Tuesday's win over Southern Mississippi at Jag Gym in which she recorded career highs in kills (16) and digs (17). Freshman setter/defensive specialist Ashlyn Roberts recorded a double-double against Florida A&M last weekend with 22 assists and 13 digs.
Redshirt junior Abby Baker posted a season-high 21 digs in Tuesday's five-set win over USM, and leads the team with 3.79 digs per set entering the tournament.
Friday will mark the first time in program history that USA has faced Marist or FGCU. Indiana holds a 1-0 all-time series lead over South Alabama after winning the lone matchup between the schools in 1995.
Marist enters the tournament with an 0-6 record, while FGCU is 4-2. Indiana carries the best record into the weekend at 7-0. USA is 2-0 in neutral-site contests this season, and 0-1 on the road.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
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