South Alabama 3, Florida Atlantic 0

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team snapped its seven-match losing streak Friday evening with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-20) road Sun Belt Conference victory over Florida Atlantic at FAU Arena.

“I really thought one of the keys for us tonight was that we were able to stay composed throughout the match,” South Alabama assistant coach Nicole McCoy said.  “We just played it one point at a time.  Amber Wyatt did a great job for us tonight, both offensively and with her blocking.”

McCoy filled in for Jaguar head coach Nicole Keshock who was back in Mobile after delivering her third child earlier this week.  

With the win, USA improves to 8-14 on the year and 3-7 in the conference.  The Jags will next travel to take on Florida International on Sunday with first serve set for noon (CT) at U.S. Century Bank Arena.  

Freshman outside hitter Maureen Ros led the Jaguars offensively, while Melissa Waelter, Lea Thurm and Amber Wyatt each added seven kills apiece.  Junior setter Katariina Kananen also chipped in with her eighth double-double of the season with 30 assists and a match-high 11 digs.  

The Owls fell to 3-20 overall and 0-11 in the Sun Belt with the loss.  Georgia Robinson led FAU with nine kills of her own.  

One key stat from the match was in the serve/receive category.  USA tied a season-best with nine aces – matching the nine it had recorded against Nicholls State (Sept. 10).  The nine aces were just one fewer than the Jaguars had had in their last four matches combined.  

FAU did hold a 10 (4 block solos, 12 block assists) to 4 (1 block solo, 4 block assists) advantage in blocks.

SET ONE: South Alabama 25, Florida Atlantic 21.

In the opening set, Florida Atlantic led by as much as two early on, but with the frame tied at 10-10, South Alabama was able to break the tie and grab the momentum with a 6-3 spurt over the next nine points.  Thurm began the run with a kill and following an ace from Waelter, the junior middle blocker posted another.  The Jaguar run was capped off when Olivia Mohler and Wyatt combined to turn away an Owl attack to increase the USA advantage to 16-13.

FAU later pulled within one (22-21) after a Jag attack error, but Wyatt then slammed home a kill of her own and sophomore libero Jenna Hassell recorded another ace to put South Alabama at set-point.  FAU then committed another attack error to give USA the 25-21 victory.  

SET TWO: South Alabama 25, Florida Atlantic 21

In the second set, South Alabama took an early 9-5 lead after a service ace from senior Jordan McMullan – her second of the frame – but once again battled back and rattled off seven of the next nine points to take a 12-11 after USA’s third attack error of the run.

USA would answer right back though and quickly retake the lead as the Jags pushed across five unanswered points on an Owl ball-handling error.  

Like the opening set, Florida Atlantic would pull within one (21-20) on a Chandler Hatton kill and again USA closed strong, finishing the frame with a 5-1 run.  

SET THREE: South Alabama 25, Florida Atlantic 20

South Alabama led 12-8 in the third set after Kananen was able to dump the ball over the net, but Florida Atlantic came right back with a 8-1 scoring run and tied the frame up at 13-13 on a Sara Stoll put away.  The Owls later grabbed a 16-13 advantage on after a kill from Robinson.  

Trailing by three, South Alabama came right back and took control of the match for good with an 8-2 run of its own over the next 10 points.  Kananen posted another kill to ignite the pivotal run and Wyatt then capped off the scoring and put USA up 23-18 with another kill.  Samia Salomao later clinched the match and the 25-20 victory with a kill of her own.

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: Coming off her first significant action of the season against Denver, Jaguar freshman Amber Wyatt made her first career start Friday evening versus the Owls.  The win at Florida Atlantic is USA’s second-straight in Boca Raton in the series.  USA tied a season-best with nine aces versus Florida Atlantic.  The nine aces tied a season-high that USA had recorded at Nichols State on Sept. 10 and were just one fewer than the Jaguars had had in their last four matches combined.  

-- USA --