Box Score - Nicholls State 3, South Alabama 1

THIBODAUX, La. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team played well early, taking the first set of the match, but couldn’t sustain the momentum as Nicholls State picked up the next three sets to capture a 3-1 victory Friday evening at the Nicholls Invitational.

With the loss, South Alabama falls to 2-6 on the season.  The Jags will continue tournament play on Saturday with a pair of matches beginning with Southern at 10 a.m. at Stopher Gym.  USA will also face Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 2 p.m.

The Jaguars received a couple of career-high performances from a pair of freshman – Torlandria Jones and Jessica Lewis.  Jones had 11 kills, while Lewis had 10 kills of her own.  Jones and Lewis were each efficient in their attacks as the duo both recorded an attack percentage of .321.

“Jessica (Lewis) really stepped it up and took advantage of the opportunity that she had tonight with Olivia (Mohler) not with us,” South Alabama head coach Nicole Keshock said.  “Torlandria Jones also played well for us.  (Lewis and Jones) didn’t play like freshmen and we really relied on them in some crucial situations.  However, in order for us to be successful, it has to be a complete team effort and tonight was not a good team effort.  We can’t rely on just one or two players.”  

Senior outside hitter Juliana Almeida also chipped in with 10 kills and 10 digs to give her her third double-double of the season and the 21st of her career.

Nicholls State (5-3) was paced by Jennifer Brandt’s match-high 17 kills.  Lauren Chapman and Jessica Addicks added 12 kills each for the Colonels and Rachel Yezak had 11 in the win.  NSU libero Danielle Daigle led all players with 29 digs.

SET ONE: South Alabama 25, Nicholls State 21

Trailing by one early in the first set, South Alabama used an 8-2 run to grab the momentum and the lead.  The USA run was keyed by kills from Samia Salomao, Jaclyn Nickels, Almeida and Jones, along with three Colonel attack errors and a serving error.  Salomao’s kill gave the Jaguars their largest lead (11-6) and capped off the scoring.  Later in the frame with the USA holding a 15-11 advantage, Nicholls rattled off four-straight points - two kills apiece from Brandt and Addicks - to tie the set back up at 15-15.  Three points later, Brandt and Addicks gave NSU its first lead (17-16) since early in the set when the duo slammed home two more kills.

Over the next several points, Jones helped South Alabama hang around as the freshman recorded three-straight kills and put USA back on top at 20-19.  Following a block assist from Jasmine Harris and Yezak on the next point to tie things back up, the Jaguars pushed across five of the final six points to take the first set, 25-21.  Salomao clinched the win with her third kill of the opening set.

SET TWO: Nicholls State 25, South Alabama 18

In the second set, the Jaguars captured two of the first three points, but led by Yezak, Nicholls State answered right back with a 7-1 run.  During the Colonel run, Yezak recorded three of her kills in the match.  South Alabama trimmed the deficit to three (8-5) after back-to-back kills from Lewis, but the Colonels then erupted for another huge run, this one an 8-1 outburst.  Chapman capped off the scoring and gave NSU a 16-6 lead with two-straight kills.  

Nicholls’ lead grew as large as 12 in the frame, but with the Colonels sitting just one point away from tying the match up at one set apiece, the Jaguars attempted to mount a rally.  After two kills from Salomao and a pair of NSU attack errors, USA cut the deficit to six (24-18), but on the next point Harris ended the comeback effort and gave Nicholls the 25-18 victory with fourth kill of the match.  

SET THREE: Nicholls State 25, South Alabama 13

NSU used a 7-0 run early in the third set to grab an 8-3 lead.  The Colonel run was spurred on by five Jaguar attack errors and a serving error.  USA tried to hang around and got as close as three on two occasion over the next several points, the last coming after another Jones’ put away to make it 10-7, but Nicholls came right back with four unanswered points to grab a seven point advantage at 14-7.  

South Alabama had no answer to the NSU runs and eventually fell 25-13 in the second set.  USA hurt itself during the set, committing nine attack errors, while recording just six kills for a -.115 hitting percentage.

SET FOUR: Nicholls State 25, South Alabama 22

Tied at 10-10 in the fourth set, it was Nicholls State’s turn to aid a scoring run as the Colonels committed three attack errors over the next four points to help USA take a 14-10 lead.  Brandt, as she had done most of the night, then stepped up and took over for NSU as the senior posted four kills during a run of six unanswered points.  With the run, Nicholls reclaimed the lead at 16-14.  

Jones cut the deficit back to one on the next point, but the Colonels came right back and stretched their lead out to as much as six (24-18).  Like the second set, the again attempted to mount a late charge with Nicholls sitting just one point away from taking the match.  South Alabama pulled to within two at 24-22, but Brandt clinched the match on the next point with her 17th 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).