Troy 3, South Alabama 1 (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – Troy’s Natasha Kolunija’s 19 kills and .342 hitting percentage were too much Thursday evening as the University of South Alabama volleyball team dropped a 3-1 (25-17, 23-25, 25-22, 25-20) decision to the in-state rival Trojans at Jag Gym.  

South Alabama didn't help its cause in the match either, as USA committed 28 attack errors and eight serving errors.

“We just didn’t come ready to play tonight and I don’t really know how you don’t,” South Alabama head coach Nicole Keshock said.  “We were finally back at home, had an amazing atmosphere and a great crowd.  These are the moments that student-athletes look forward to and I don’t know how we weren’t able to come ready to play.  I think we played a little tight and we haven’t played that way for a while, so that was kind of surprising.”

USA (7-12, 2-5 SBC) will continue its current three-match homestand when the Jags host North Texas on Friday (Nov. 21) with first serve set for 7 p.m.

Jaguar freshman outside hitter Maureen Ros led the South Alabama offense with 12 kills in the loss.  Lea Thurm also chipped in with 10 kills.  Sophomore libero Jenna Hassell paced the club defensively with 16 digs.  Hassell was one of four players for USA to end the night in double digits in that category, followed by Samia Salomao (14), Melissa Waelter (13) and Katariina Kananen (10).

Kolunija was the lone player for Troy (13-8, 3-4 SBC) to finish the match in double figures in kills.  Breanna Cullity , Lucy Cikra and Devin Von Pingel each added nine kills of their own.  Trojan libero Courtney Cohen was one of three players in double figures in digs for the visitors with 16.

SET ONE: Troy 25, South Alabama 17

With Troy holding a two-point advantage (7-5) early on in the opening set, the Trojans extended their lead out to seven courtesy of a 6-1 run.  Brittney McClelland began the scoring for TU with a solo block.  Kolunija later added three-straight kills for Troy and Lizzie Clough capped off the run and put Troy up 13-6 with an ace.  

USA kept battling and trimmed the deficit to 17-14 after a kill from Kananen, but that was as close as the Jags would get as the Trojans quickly stretched their lead back out and took the first set 25-17.  McClelland recorded her second solo block of the frame to seal the eight-point win for Troy.

The Trojans were efficient during the first set, posting a .259 (11-4-27) attack percentage, while the Jaguar offense struggled with a -.088 (8-11-34).

SET TWO: South Alabama 25, Troy 23

Riding the momentum of the first-set victory, Troy held control early on in the second frame, opening up the set with an 8-4 lead after a kill from Cikra.  USA was able to grab the next two points though after a kill and a block assist from Olivia Mohler.  After exchanging points, the Trojans answered back by pushing across five of the next six points to extend their lead back out to 13-8.  As was the case for much of the set, the duo of Cikra and Kolunija led the way for Troy.  In the set, Cikra and Kolunija combined for 11 of the Trojans 15 kills.

South Alabama continued to battle, again trimmed the deficit to two at 14-12, only to see Troy stretch the lead back out.  USA hung around and continued to fight back over the next several points and with the Trojans holding a 20-15 advantage after another kill from Cikra, the Jags were finally able to get the offense going and erupted for an 8-1 run over the next nine points.  

Following a Trojan serving error, Salomao slammed home a kill and Mohler then dropped in an ace of her own.  Later during the run, Ros tied the frame back up at 21-21 with one of her seven kills in the set and Salomao then gave USA its first lead since the opening point with another kill.  From there, the Jags were able to hold serve with Ros eventually sealing the victory and evening the match at one set apiece with a kill to give USA the 25-23 victory.

For the set, Ros recorded seven kills on 12 attacks with one error for a .417 hitting percentage.

SET THREE: Troy 25, South Alabama 22

Coming out of the intermission, the Trojans grabbed the momentum beginning the third set on a 7-1 run, including scoring four unanswered to begin the frame.  During the mini-run, Kolunija and Von Pingel each had two kills apiece.  South Alabama continued to battle though and trimmed the deficit to three on two occasions, before eventually cutting the deficit to 15-14 after a Kananen kill.

Troy answered right back with four unanswered points and extended its lead out back to 19-14 after a bad Jaguar set.

Trailing by five two points later, USA made one more push at the Trojans, recording six of the next seven points.  Mohler ignited the scoring for South Alabama with another kill and Salomao later capped off the run and tied the contest up at 21-21 when the senior looked as if she were going to pass, only to send a ball over the net for a kill.

With the frame still tied at 22-22, Troy took advantage of a couple of late Jaguar errors and captured the final three points.  After a pair of attack errors, Von Pingel’s fourth putaway of the frame clinched the 25-22 third-set win to give Troy a 2-1 lead in the match.  

SET FOUR: Troy 25, South Alabama 20

Tied at three early in the fourth set, South Alabama was able to grab the early momentum with four-straight points.  

With USA later holding a 7-4 lead, the Jaguars were able to extend their advantage out to six when they reeled off six of the next nine points.  Mohler began the scoring for South Alabama with one of her four kills in the match.  Salomao then gave the Jags the 13-7 advantage with another kill of her own.

Later in the set, South Alabama looked to be on its way to forcing a fifth set as it led 17-11, but errors would again prove costly as a Jaguar serving error ignited a 13-1 Trojan run over the next 14 points and put Troy one point away from taking the match.  During the run for the Trojans, Kolunija came up big posting four of her seven kills in the set during that stretch.  Alexandra Alexander also had a pair of aces.  

USA was able to end the run with a pair of points, but Troy took the set and the match 25-20 on a Jaguar attack error.

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 win for the Trojans was just the eighth all-time in the series in matches played in Mobile.  

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