MACON, Ga. ? The University of South Alabama women’s volleyball team opened the 2006 season Saturday with a 3-1 (22-30, 30-20, 30-18, 30-28) victory over Mississippi Valley State in match one of a twin bill at the University Center.
With game one knotted at 5-5, MVSU (0-3) reeled off four straight points that was capped off by a Chelsey White service ace. USA (1-0) then took four of the next five points to cut the lead to one (10-9) on a Lauren Robbins ace. The Devilettes pushed the margin back out to seven at 18-11 courtesy of an Ashley Robinson kill, but the Jags battled back to trim the lead to 20-17 on a Robbin’s kill. South Alabama, however, got no closer as Mississippi Valley’s Falon Holinaty ignited an 8-1 spurt that gave the visitors their largest lead of the opener at 28-18 en route to the 30-22 victory.
Game two started out like the first with neither team able to capture more than a two point advantage early on until the Lady Jags were able to reel of five straight points to take a 12-8 advantage. MVSU quickly tied the contest back up at 12 with a run of its own. USA seemed to then right the ship and responded back with a 15-1 run of its own to take a commanding 27-13 lead. The Jag spurt was highlighted by five block assists, including four from the duo of Summer Pilgrim and Kalyn Hundley. Hundley put the game away with her fifth kill of the match to give South Alabama the 30-20 victory.
The third game of the contest was tight again early on until with the match all square at 5-all, the Lady Jags again went on another big run, this time a 10-1 spurt led by Robbins. During the run, Robbins accounted for six of the Jag points, including three-straight aces and three kills. MVSU kept battling back and cut the deficit to five (19-14) but that was as close as the Devilettes would get in the third contest. True freshman Stephanie Cutter gave South Alabama its largest lead at 29-17 with a little dump shot that MVSU was unable to dig and two points later Brittany Blackwelder finished the 30-18 victory with her sixth kill of the match.
In the fourth and final game of match one, South Alabama came out and quickly took the first five points capped off by a Hundley kill. The Devilettes were able to cut the margin to two at 10-8 after a Jag attack error. Hundley again pushed the USA advantage out to seven at 16-9 with another kill. Mississippi Valley State kept hanging around and on a Robinson service ace tied the contest up at 26-26. The two clubs exchanged the next few points before USA was able to take the final two points and the match with the 30-28 victory.
For the match, the Lady Jags were led by a balanced offensive attack. Five players recorded at least seven kills or more, paced by Robbins 13. Also recording double digits were Hundley and Jenna Swilley with 11 each. Robbins also accounted for 12 digs and five aces in match one. Shannon VanAntwerp led the club defensively with 19 digs of her own. Offensively, Mississippi Valley State was paced by Robinson’s match-high 16 kills.
South Alabama will take on host Mercer in match two scheduled to start Saturday at 3 p.m. (ET).
