PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas - Behind Juliana Almeida's sixth double-double of the season, the University of South Alabama volleyball team picked up a 3-0 (25-23, 26-24, 25-20) victory over Nicholls State Friday afternoon in the opening round of the Lady Panther Invitational held at the William Nicks Fieldhouse. Almeida led all players with 17 kills and 12 digs in the win for USA. .
"I think we definitely played better today than we did last weekend," South Alabama head coach Nicole Keshock said of the performance against Nicholls State. "We were a little inconsistent last weekend, but today we were able to execute things that we had worked on in practice this week, which was important."
South Alabama (7-4) will conclude tournament action on Saturday when the Jags take on Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 12:30 p.m. and tourney host Prairie View A&M at 2:30 p.m. Nicholls State drops to 3-8 on the season with the loss.
Along with Almeida, freshman outside hitter Allegra Pratt recorded a career-high 10 kills for USA. The Fort Worth, Texas native, playing in front of her parents, also recorded a season-high .391 hitting percentage.
"Allegra played very very well today for us," Keshock said. "Samia (Salomao) also did well for us and she is continuing to get better and better for us in the back row. I was very pleased with those two performances in particular, because they seem to get better each time out and I think today's match showcased that."
Junior libero Kari Frazier paced the defense, carding a match-high 15 digs, while Salomao chipped in with nine of her own.
Nicholls State's Jennifer Brandt was the lone Colonel to finish the match in double figures offensively, recording 10 kills.
One key stat in the match for the Jags was on the defensive side of the net, where USA out-dug Nicholls State, 60-46. The 60 digs for South Alabama are the most by the club in a three-set match this season and the second highest tally in any match.
SET ONE: South Alabama 25, Nicholls State 23
The Jags rallied in the first set from an early two-point deficit. Trailing 9-7, Almeida led a run of six-straight points for USA when the junior carded five of the Jags' next six points. During the run, Almeida recorded five kills, including four-straight to ignite the run. NSU battled back and later knotted things back up at 15 after back-to-back kills from Rachel Yezak.
On the next point though, USA ' Olivia Mohler gave the Jags the lead for good, as the freshman started another run for the Jags, this one a 7-0 spurt. Nicholls State pulled close again down the stretch, but South Alabama held on to take the opening set 25-23.
SET TWO: South Alabama 26, Nicholls State 24
Like the first set, the second frame also went down to the wire, as neither team was able pull away from the other and take control.
With the score tied 24-24 after a Rachel Spreen (NSU), Almeida broke the 15th tied of the set and gave USA the lead for good with another put away. The Jags then took the set (26-24) on the next point after a Colonel attack error.
SET THREE: South Alabama 25, Nicholls State 20
In the finale, South Alabama trailed early on (8-6), but after a NSU serving error, the Jags took the lead for good with a run of five unanswered points. During the mini-spurt, the Colonels didn't help themselves as they committed four attack errors.
Nicholls State made one last charge down the stretch as Yezak pulled the Colonels to within three (23-20), but again Almeida had the answer, slamming home another kill. USA then took the set and the match on a Almeida ace.
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).
NOTES: With her 17 kills and 12 digs, USA's Juliana Almeida registered her sixth double-double of the season and 13th of her career. Freshman outside hitter Allegra Pratt, playing in her home state, recorded a career-best 10 kills and .391 hitting percentage. The win was the third-straight for the Jags and the second in as many weeks for South Alabama over Nicholls State. The win versus the Colonels was also the 50th at South Alabama for head coach Nicole Keshock.
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