MOBILE, Ala. ? Freshman outside hitter Juliana Pallamin de Almeida’s career-high 23 kill helped lead the South Alabama volleyball team to a 3-2 (30-25, 30-20, 28-30, 24-30, 15-6) win over Florida Atlantic Friday afternoon at Jag Gym.
Joining Almeida in double-figures in the kill department on the night were Hristina Markova (15), Brittany Blackwelder (14) and Jenna Swilley (11). Shannon VanAntwerp also tied a career-high with 24 dings in the win. Florida Atlantic was led offensively by Mobile native Morgan Johns’ 16 kills.
With the win, USA improves to 11-17 on the season and 4-12 in the Sun Belt. The Jags will close out the season Saturday, when they take on Florida International at Noon. Prior to the match, South Alabama will honor its three seniors; Lauren Robbins, Swilley and VanAntwerp.
With her 11 kills, Swilley now sits just seven away from joining the 1,000 career kill club.
GAME ONE: South Alabama 30, Florida Atlantic 25
In the opener, both teams kept it close as neither team was able to gain more than a three-point lead on the other for much of the game. USA was finally pulled away from the Owls and picked up the five-point victory when Blackwelder slammed home one of her 14 kills. Almeida was the driving force for South Alabama in the game one, as she recorded nine of her kills in the opener.
GAME TWO: South Alabama 30, Florida Atlantic 20
South Alabama went up 2-0 in the match with a 30-20 win in game two. Holding a 13-11 lead, Almeida ignited a 5-1 spurt over the next six points to put the Jags out comfortably. FAU was unable to chip away at the Jaguar lead down the stretch, as USA went on to take the 10-point win.
GAME THREE: Florida Atlantic 30, South Alabama 28
Coming out of the intermission, neither team was able to push across more than a three-point lead on the other for the entire third contest. South Alabama was able to tie the game up at 28-28 after a Swilley kill and two straight Owl attack errors, but FAU answered with the final two points to take the 30-28 win.
GAME FOUR: Florida Atlantic 30, South Alabama 24
Florida Atlantic kept riding the momentum in game four playing tough and not allowing the Jags to run away. With South Alabama leading 17-13 after another Blackwelder kill, Florida Atlantic’s Johns started a 7-2 run over the next nine points and retook the lead at 20-19 after a Jaguar setting error. The Owls later reeled off five unanswered point to take control of the fourth contest at 26-21 on a Katie Arvidson put away. FAU evened the match up at two games apiece with the 30-24 win.
GAME FIVE: South Alabama 15, Florida Atlantic 6
In the fifth and deciding game of the match, South Alabama opened the game up with a 10-2 run and never looked back. Markova led the way for the Jags during the scoring spurt, recording four of her kills during the stretch. Blackwelder sealed the 15-6 victory for USA when the junior middle blocker slammed home another kill.
