LAFAYETTE, La. ? The University of South Alabama volleyball team fought hard but dropped a 3-2 (26-24, 23-25, 15-25, 25-23, 15-9) at Earl K. Long Gym Friday night in Sun Belt Conference volleyball action.

The Jags (7-8, 1-6 SBC) will close out its current three-match road swing on Sunday afternoon when they take on Louisiana-Monroe.  First serve against the Warhawks is set for 1 p.m.  Louisiana-Lafayette improves to 5-10 on the year and 2-3 in league play with the win.

Juliana Pallamin de Almeida led USA offensively in the loss with her fifth double-double of the season (13 kills and 16 digs).  Lindsay Schwartz also chipped in with 10 kills and seven total blocks.

The Ragin’ Cajuns were led on the night by Elizabeth Inman’s 18 kills.  Amie Goodwin and Sonora Edwards also finished the match in double digits with 12 kills apiece.

SET ONE: South Alabama 26, Louisiana-Lafayette 24

Both clubs came out battling in the opening set with neither willing to give the other much of an advantage.  Of the eight lead changes in the set, neither club was able to gain more than a two point lead on the other.  The two squads also forced each other into 17 ties during the frame.  With the set tied at 24, USA’s Schwartz put the Jags out in front for good when the freshman from Watertown, Wis., found a hole in the Cajun defense for her first kill of the night.  On the next point, South Alabama was able to gain the 26-24 set victory, courtesy of a ULL attack error. 

SET TWO: Louisiana-Lafayette 25, South Alabama 23

In the second set, South Alabama captured the first point, but the Ragin’ Cajuns responded right back with an 8-2 run over the next 11 points to take a five point lead.   Inman led the ULL run, recording three of her five kills in the set during the scoring spurt.  South Alabama kept battling over the next several points and later pulled to within two (12-10) after a kill and an ace from Almeida.  After trailing by as many as four later in the set, USA kept chipping away at the deficit and after back-to-back kills from Schwartz, the Jags narrowed the gap to one at 18-17.  Schwartz then knotted things back up at 20-20 with another kill, one of her seven in the set.  The Ragin’ Cajuns, however, were able to pick up the set two victory and even the match at one game apiece after a kill from Goodwin and a block assists from Inman and Kendra Hall.

SET THREE: Louisiana-Lafayette 25, South Alabama 15

After leading by three early on, Louisiana-Lafayette reeled off nine of the next ten points to jump out in front 10-5.  Inman was the offensive leader during the Cajun run, recording four kills and an ace.  Still holding a five point advantage at 19-14, ULL closed the third set strong taking five of the final six points, the last coming off Inman’s sixth kill of the set.  With the 25-15 win, the Cajuns headed into the fourth set with a 2-1 match lead.  The key stat of the frame was in the attack percentage column, where ULL out hit USA .400 (15-3-30) to .042 (7-6-24).

SET FOUR: South Alabama 25, Louisiana-Lafayette 23

Trailing by one early in the fourth set at 9-8, the Jags retook the lead after three-straight kills from senior middle blocker Brittany Blackwelder.  Later with the set tied at 14-14, USA used four straight Cajun errors to retake the lead and later stretch its advantage out to 21-14.  Two of the ULL errors during that span coming courtesy of a pair of block assists from Schwartz and Maria Kashavelova.  Trailing by seven, ULL grabbed the momentum right back with six unanswered, the final coming on an Edwards put away.  The Jags would bend but not break in the set as the Cajuns were only able to get as close as one down the stretch.  Hristina Markova sealed the 25-23 victory for USA and evened the match at 2-2 when she dropped in a cut shot just inside the line. 

SET FIVE: Louisiana-Lafayette 15, South Alabama 9

In the fifth and deciding set, Louisiana-Lafayette grabbed the momentum from the start of the frame, opening up the set with a 10-2 run.  South Alabama attempted to rally back, getting as close as five, but ULL held on to take the match with the 15-9 set victory after a Goodwin kill.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com.  Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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