Middle Tennessee - Western Kentucky Match Notes (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team will close out its current four-match road swing this weekend when the Jaguars travel to take on Sun Belt Conference East Division foes Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky.  USA will take on the Blue Raiders on Friday with first serve set for 7 p.m. at Alumni Memorial Gym, before traveling to face the Lady Toppers on Saturday at E.A. Diddle Arena at 5 p.m.

“This weekend for us has always been difficult for us, because in the past, Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky have traditionally been towards the top of the conference,” South Alabama head coach Nicole Keshock said.  “I think this weekend poses more of a challenge for us, because of our last performance.  I didn’t expect for us to not perform well on Sunday (against UALR).  Regardless of the outcome, I expect our team to show up and play the best that we can, and we didn’t that day.  Both Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky are coming off big weekend sweeps against FIU and we have to be ready to play.  Not just one day, but both days of this trip.  You can’t take a day off against quality competition and hopefully we learned that lesson after this past weekend.”

Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky have combined to win each of the past six conference tournament titles.

Live stats for both matches will be available at www.usajaguars.com.  

The Jaguars come into play this weekend with a 7-9 overall record and 2-2 mark in the conference.  After beginning the SBC schedule with a pair of wins, USA dropped a pair of matches on the road to begin this difficult four-match road swing, falling 3-1 at Arkansas State and 3-0 at UALR.

In the two losses, USA allowed its opponent to record a .264 attack percentage and average 3.71 blocks per set.  The Jags, which had been strong in the serving department, also registered just three aces in the two losses.

Outside hitter Samia Salomao has been the main offensive threat for the Jaguars this season, but the senior suffered an ankle injury against ASU and didn’t play against the Trojans.  Salomao currently leads the team in kills with 2.71 per set and is second in digs at 2.79 per set.  She also is tied with Jag setter Katariina Kananen and Melissa Waelter for top-team honors with 18 aces.  The San Jose Dos Campos, Brazil, native as led the team in kills five times and has registered a team-best seven double-doubles.

Three other players are averaging at least two kills per set - Olivia Mohler (2.55), Waelter (2.47) and Maureen Ros (2.04). Mohler is also hitting a team-best .278, and has been even better in conference action, raising her percentage to .384.  Mohler’s SBC hitting percentage is second-best in the league.  

As a team, USA is hitting .234 in its four Sun Belt matches - third highest amongst the 11 other league schools.  In conference play, South Alabama is tied with Denver for second in kills (13.00) and is four in assists (12.00).

Middle Tennessee (5-9, 3-1 SBC) enters play this week fresh off a pair of 3-0 road victories over Florida Atlantic and Florida International this past weekend.   After falling in five sets in its conference opener to Arkansas State, the Blue Raiders have won three-straight, all in straight-sets.  MTSU will travel to take on divisional-rival Western Kentucky on Tuesday night before hosting the Jags.  With a win, the Blue Raiders will move into first place in the SBC East Division.

MTSU has already been tested as it faced three top 15 programs during the non-conference portion of its schedule, along with teams from the SEC and the Big 12.

The Blue Raiders are currently tied for first with the Lady Toppers in attack percentage (.253), and second in kills per set (13.36) and assists per set (12.46).  In Sun Belt matches, MTSU tops the conference in both attack percentage (.258) and opponent attack percentage (.121) and is second in blocks per set (3.25) and service aces per set (1.71).

“Middle Tennessee has traditionally been a great offensive team and they still have that,” Keshock said.  “I think that they are really starting to gel more lately, so our blocking and defense will have to be ready.  We will spend a lot of time on that this week in practice.”

Individually, Oyinlola Oladinni is second in the league in attack percentage at .368, and Ashley Adams is third in kills at 3.78. The duo is hitting .365 and .351, respectively in Sun Belt matches.

Maria Szivos is second on the club in kills with 2.48 per set.  Oladinni is close behind her with 2.12 kps of her own.

Western Kentucky comes into play this week as one of the hottest teams in the nation with a 17-1 overall record and a perfect 4-0 mark in the Sun Belt.  Entering their match versus MTSU on Tuesday, the Lady Toppers have won 14-straight matches, including two 3-0 sweeps this past weekend at FAU and FIU.  During the 14-match win streak, nine have come in straight-sets for WKU.  With the 4-0 league record, Western Kentucky currently leads the SBC East Division.

WKU is tied with the Blue Raiders for top honors in the SBC in hitting percentage, while also leading the conference in opponent hitting percentage (.144), assists (13.08) and kills (14.25) - 16th in the NCAAs.  The Lady Toppers are also second in the league in digs with 15.75 per set, just behind Troy.

“Western Kentucky is a very good ball-control team that is hard to get out of system,” Keshock said of the Lady Toppers.  “Our serving was down this past weekend and we have to pick that back up and be competitive against them.  If we don’t, they will be able to stay in system.”

Offensively, Western Kentucky is paced by preseason player of the year Jordan Skinner.  Skinner - who was selected as the Sun Belt’s Player of the Week earlier this week - not only leads the team in several categories, but is also making a push for player of the year honors.  Skinner is currently tied with FIU’s Jovana Bjelica for first in kills (4.15 per set), while also ranking eighth in digs with 3.46 per set.  

Sophomore libero Ashley Potts - who earned the league’s defensive player of the week honors this week - is second in the league in digs with 4.85.  

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: Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky have combined to win each of the past six conference tournament titles. The meeting between Middle Tennessee and South Alabama this weekend will mark the 16th in the all-time series between the two clubs.  Middle Tennessee holds a 15-0 record in the all-time series.  The two teams have met three other times, but those wins had to be vacated by the Blue Raiders as a result of NCAA penalties. MTSU has won eight of the last nine meetings in the series in straight sets.  USA is 0-8 in Murfreesboro against the Blue Raiders.  The meeting this weekend will mark the 43rd between Western Kentucky and South Alabama.  WKU holds a 34-9 lead all-time series. Dating back to 1989, USA has dropped 31 of the previous 33 meetings, including the last 22 - all but one of those in straight sets.  South Alabama’s last win versus the Lady Toppers came back during the 1995 season when USA captured a 3-1 victory in Mobile.  The Jags are 2-14 all-time in Bowling Green, Ky., versus the Lady Toppers.  USA’s last win in Bowling Green, Ky., came back during the 1988 season.  


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