Florida Atlantic - Florida International Match Notes (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team will begin its final three-match road swing when it heads to Flordia this weekend for a pair of matches.  USA will open up with Florida Atlantic on Friday evening with first serve set for 5:30 p.m. (CT) at FAU Arena.  The Jags will then take on Florida International on Sunday at noon (CT) at U.S. Century Bank Arena.

There will not be any live stats for USA’s tilt versus the Owls on Friday, but they will be available at www.usajaguars.com for Sunday’s match versus the Panthers. 

“Every match is always important, but now after a couple of disappointing performances this past weekend at home, every match is even more important since we only have seven remaining in the season,” South Alabama head coach Nicole Keshock said.  “We are coming to the home stretch and if we want to secure a spot in the conference tournament, we really have to be focused on each match.”

The Jaguars (7-14, 2-7 SBC) head to Florida this weekend, looking to snap a season-long seven match losing streak.  This past weekend, South Alabama fell, 3-0, to North Texas on Friday and 3-1 to Denver on Saturday in Mobile.

Versus the Pioneers, true freshman Amber Wyatt came off the bench and provided a spark to the Jaguar offense with a career-high 13 kills.  Wyatt recorded her 13 kills on 39 attacks and committed just three errors for a .231 attack percentage.  The Jag outside hitter had had just eight kills and played in 13 sets of seven matches prior to match against DU.  In USA’s previous eight Sun Belt matches, Wyatt had competed in just three sets and had one kill.

Offensively, South Alabama continues to be led by senior outside hitter Samia Salomao’s 2.52 kills per set.  She is closely followed by freshman middle blocker Melissa Waelter who is averaging 2.47 kps.  Olivia Mohler (2.31) and Maureen Ros (2.22) are also averaging over two kills per set.  

In SBC action, Ros has definitely stepped up for the Jags as she leads the club in kills in conference matches with 81 (2.53 kps).  In USA’s nine SBC matches, Ros has led the team in kills five times.

In the serving department, Salomao and Jag setter Katariina Kananen continue to rank among the league leaders.  Salomao is sixth with 0.33 aces per set, while Kananen is tied for seventh with Louisiana-Monroe’s Zuzana Markova and Arkansas State’s Amanda Chaparro with 0.28 per set.  As a team, USA is fifth in the Sun Belt in that category.

Florida Atlantic comes into action this week still in search of its first Sun Belt victory of the season.  The Owls - who have lost 10 of their last 11 matches - are 3-18 overall, 0-9 in league play and winless in its six home matches.  FAU will face Florida International on Tuesday night before hosting the Jags.

“FAU has played some very competitive matches and their record really doesn’t show that fact,” Keshock said.  “They took North Texas to five sets, so we will have to be ready to play when we face them.”  

Leading the way offensively for Florida Atlantic is junior outside hitter Georgia Robinson.  Robinson leads the club with 166 kills and is averaging 2.31 kills per set.  Darija Sataric is second on the team in both categories with 122 and 1.74 kps.  

On defense, senior libero Cintia Nightingale paces the club with 3.03 digs per set.  Sara Stoll and Chandler Hatton anchor the front of the net, averaging 1.00 and 0.90 blocks per set, respectively.

As a team, FAU has struggled on the offensive side of the net.  Entering play this week, the Owls are hitting just .107 and averaging 8.9 kills per set - both last in the league.  Florida Atlantic is also allowing its opponents to hit .220.

Florida International (13-7, 5-4 SBC) enters play this week, fresh off a weekend sweep of Arkansas State (3-2) and UALR (3-0) in Miami.  With the wins, FIU improved to 4-2 on the year at home.  

“Just like it is for FAU, we will have to be ready when we play Florida International,” Keshock stated of Sunday’s opponent.  “Even though they were swept by Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky, they were able to take Arkansas State to five.  FIU seems to always come ready to play and we will have to match that effort.”

Junior outside hitter Jovana Bjelic is making a strong run at player of the year honors as she not only leads the Sun Belt, but ranks 20th in the nation in kills with 4.37 per set.  

In conference play, Bjelic has been even better, posting 4.65 kills per set.  Against ASU and UALR, the freshman averaged 6.38 kps and hit a .421.  In the victory over the Red Wolves Bjelic ended the night with a career-best 31 kills, marking the first 30-kill outing by an FIU player since 2008.  It tied for third in the rally-scoring era (2001-present) on the single-match charts and was just two kills short of tying the rally-scoring era five-set match record total of 33. Bjelica then followed that effort up with 20 kills versus UALR on Sunday - her 17th double-digit kill outing in 20 matches this season.

Defensively, the Panthers have been tough as well, as seniors Sabrina Gonzalez and Andrea Lakovic rank among the league leaders in blocks.  Gonzalez currently ranks third in that category with 1.06 bps, while Lakovic is 10th with 0.94 per set.  Junior libero Chanel Araujo is fifth in the Sun Belt in digs with 4.23 per set.  

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 Florida Atlantic and South Alabama this weekend will mark the 12th in the all-time series between the two clubs.  FAU holds a 7-4 advantage in the all-time series, and has won four of the last five meetings.  USA split the season series with the Owls a year ago and picked up a 3-2 victory in Boca Raton to help them secure a spot in last season’s conference tournament.  With the road victory, the Jags are 1-4 versus the Owls in matches played in Boca Raton.  The meeting between Florida International and South Alabama this weekend will mark the 26th in the all-time series between the two clubs.  FIU holds a dominant 20-4-1 advantage in the all-time series, and has won the last 12 meetings.  The Jags are also 2-10 versus the Panthers in matches played in Miami.  The Keshock family welcomed the newest member to their family this week with the birth of Corbin John Keshock - a 10lb and is 21” long baby boy.  While she is recovering, Jaguar head coach Nicole Keshock will not travel with the team on Thursday for the matches against FIU and FAU.  Assistant coach Nicole McCoy will fill in her absence from the team.  Following play this weekend, USA will have a quick turnaround as they will travel to Troy on Tuesday (Nov. 1) to take on the Trojans.

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