Troy Matche Notes (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – Coming off a four-match road trip, the University of South Alabama volleyball team returns home to welcome in-state rival and Sun Belt East Division foe Troy on Thursday night.  

First serve versus the Trojans is set for 7 p.m. at Jag Gym and live stats for the match are available at www.usajaguars.com.  

The Jaguars come into the match versus the Trojans looking to snap a four-match losing streak.  Over the weekend, South Alabama dropped a pair of 3-0 road decisions at Sun Belt East Division leaders Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky.  USA has also fallen in straight-sets in each of its last three matches.  

“We are definitely happy to be back home,” South Alabama head coach Nicole Keshock said.  “Something that I think teams typically do is play better at home than on the road and that’s definitely indicative of us.  I’m just looking for us to go back and play our brand of volleyball.  One thing we did well this past weekend and that we have been working on is our blocking.  While our blocking has improved, our offense has struggled a bit lately.  As teams scout us more and more, we have to get better offensively.”

During its first two Sun Belt matches this season - both wins - USA posted a hitting percentage of .292, but over the course of the current four-match skid, the Jags have recorded just a .141 hitting percentage, while also allowing its opponents to average a .278.  One of the strengths this season for South Alabama has also been its serving.  In the previous four losses, USA has recorded just 10 service aces, the same tally that it had in its first two SBC matches.

Despite the recent slump in that area, the Jaguars continue to be one of the top clubs in the conference in serving as they are tied with Western Kentucky for third with 1.39 per set.  Individually, senior outside hitter Samia Salomao leads the way as she ranks fifth in the league with 0.34 per set.  Junior setter Katariina Kananen is close behind her tied for sixth in the SBC in that same category with Denver’s Julia Cawthra at 0.33.

On the offensive side of the net, Salomao leads the club in kills with 2.60 per set.  Junior middle blocker Olivia Mohler is having one of her best seasons.  The Vancleave, Miss., native is averaging 2.47 kps and is hitting a .260.  She also leads the club in blocks with 51 total.  True freshman Melissa Waelter is close right behind Mohler with 2.44 kps of her own.  Fellow freshman Maureen Ros is also averaging over two kills per set with 2.10.  One of the four Jags has been the top offensive performer on the team in all but one of South Alabama’s 18 matches.

Troy enters Thursday night’s contest with a 12-8 overall record and a 2-4 mark in the Sun Belt.  The Trojans are currently tied for fourth place in the SBC East Division with South Alabama.  Like the Jags, Troy opened conference play with a pair of wins, but has since dropped four-straight, each coming in straight-sets.

“Our matches with Troy are always competitive,” Keshock said of this week’s opponent.  “A lot of our players know their players, so that adds to the rivalry between the two in-state teams. When Troy is playing their style of volleyball and are on, they are a very tough team.  Over the last two weeks with both us playing four matches on the road versus quality teams, neither of us has been able to play our type of ball. I expect Troy to come out and play how they played during the opening weekend of conference.  Natasha Kolunija is someone we are going to have to work on containing.  Troy’s middle hitters also do a nice job, so I’m expecting them to play well and we will have to be ready to meet the challenge.”

Offensively, the Trojans have been led by the trio of Natasha Kolunija, Breanna Cullity and Kayla Pickart.  Kolunija leads the club with 2.63 kills per set, while Cullity and Pickart are close behind her with 2.58 and 2.53, respectively.  

Devin Von Pingel has been the most efficient attacker on the club this season.  The junior middle blocker not only leads the team, but also ranks third in the Sun Belt in hitting percentage at .346.

As a team, Troy has been strong in the defensive backcourt, entering play this week leading the Sun Belt in digs with 15.62.  The anchor to the Trojan defense has been sophomore libero Courtney Cohen.  Cohen, as she has done for much of the season, also leads the conference in that same category, averaging 4.88 digs per set.

The match will feature two of the SBC’s top setters.  Troy’s Alexandra Alexander (9.82 aps) is currently second in the conference, while USA’s Kananen (9.75 aps) is third.  

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: The meeting between Troy and South Alabama this week will mark the 57th in the all-time series between the two clubs.  USA holds a 36-20 advantage in the all-time series, and has won four of the last six meetings.  The Jags are also 21-7 versus the Trojans in matches played in Mobile.  Last season, USA swept the both meetings, defeating Troy 3-0 in Mobile and 3-2 in Troy.