North Texas 3, South Alabama 0 (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama freshman outside hitter Maureen Ros recorded her second career double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs, but it wasn’t enough as the Jaguar volleyball team fell 3-0 (20-25, 21-25, 24-26) to North Texas Friday evening at Jag Gym.  

With the loss, USA has now dropped six-straight matches to fall to 7-13 on the season and 2-6 in the Sun Belt.  The Jaguars will return to action on Saturday when they host Denver at 7 p.m.  UNT improves to 13-13 overall and 4-6 in the league.

“I think right now we are playing a little bit safe,” South Alabama head coach Nicole Keshock said.  “We aren’t very aggressive when we need to be.  We are sending the other team easy shots and they are able to bring back a much more aggressive attack to us.  I don’t know why we aren’t being aggressive, but that’s something we have to figure out before tomorrow night.”

Joining Ros in double figures in the loss was fellow freshman Melissa Waelter who had 10 kills of her own to go along with 10 digs for her second career double-double. Ros also led the team with a .345 attack percentage.  Junior setter Katariina Kananen had a double-double of her own for USA with 24 assists and 18 digs – her seventh of the season.

North Texas was paced offensively in the win by Shelley Morton’s 13 kills and 11 digs.  Morton was solid on offense, hitting a .393 in the match.  Melanie Boykin added 12 kills and hit a .478.  Mean Green libero Sarah Wiley led all players with a match-high 23digs.  

SET ONE: North Texas 25, South Alabama 20

With the score tied 7-7 in the opening set, North Texas was able to push across four-straight points and grab the early momentum.  Hallie McDonald began the run for the Mean Green with a kill, followed by three consecutive Jaguar attack errors.  USA kept battling and later pulled to within two at 13-11 after an ace from Jenna Hassell, but UNT answered right back with three-straight kills – two from Boykin and one from Morton.  

South Alabama would get as close as three on two occasions over the remainder of the set, but Morton sealed the 25-20 first-set victory with her sixth kill of the frame.  

North Texas was extremely efficient in the set, posting a .356 attack percentage (16-2-28).  USA managed to hit a .057 (8-6-35).

SET TWO: North Texas 25, South Alabama 21

Over much of the first portion of the second set, neither club was able to take more than a two-point advantage on the other.

With UNT leading, USA was able to trim the deficit to 14-13 after a block assists from Ros and Kananen, but the Mean Green again responded and extended its advantage out to four (17-13).

The Jags battled back and after cutting the deficit to two on multiple occasions, South Alabama was able to narrow the deficit to one twice, the last coming at 22-21 after a kill from Ros.  Each time though, USA was unable to tie the set up as it committed a serving error on the ensuing point.

North Texas would hold on to the lead from there and take the second set (25-21) after a pair of Jaguar attack errors.  

SET THREE: North Texas 26, South Alabama 24

The two clubs kept things close over much of the third set as there were 14 ties and seven lead changes over the first 30 points.

USA looked as if it were going to take control of the frame as the Jags reeled off three unanswered points to break a 15-15 tie.  The three Jaguar points came courtesy of Lea Thurm and Ros who each had a kill and teamed up for a block assist.

Coming out of a time out though, the Mean Green responded with five-straight points of its own and grabbed a 20-18 advantage after a South Alabama attack error.  

The Jags hung around over the next several points and tied the contest back up at 22-22 after kills from Waelter and Olivia Mohler.

Four points later though, North Texas would push across the final two points of the match and take the set, 26-24, in extra points after two more Jaguar attack errors.

Boykins came up big in the set for UNT, recording six of her kills in the frame, while Waelter had five in the final set for South Alabama.

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 13 kills, Maureen Ros has now led USA in kills in eight matches this season.  Ros and Melissa Waelter have recorded both of their double-doubles in the same match twice – the first coming versus Louisiana-Lafayette (Sept. 23).  North Texas improves to 15-5 in the all-time series and 7-2 in matches played in Mobile.  UNT has won 12 of the last 14 meetings in the series.

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