Michigan State 3, South Alabama 0 (.pdf)

ORLANDO, Fla. – Michigan State posted a blistering .369 hitting percentage that proved to be too much for the Jags to overcome as the University of South Alabama volleyball team fell 3-0 (18-25, 14-25, 17-25) Saturday afternoon to the Spartans at the Courtyard by Marriott/UCF Classic held at The Venue at UCF. 

“We have one rotation that we just seem to get stuck in right now,” South Alabama head coach Nicole Keshock said.  “We have to work on that rotation this week, because our opponents were able to take advantage of it this weekend.  Good thing about first weekend of the season is that we can go back and work on the things we need to.”

USA (0-3) will now return home to host the Jaguar Classic beginning Friday.  The Jaguars will open the tournament with Southeastern Louisiana and then face Alabama A&M and Louisiana Tech on Saturday.  Michigan State moves to 3-0 on the young season with the win.

The Jaguars were led offensively by Sama Salomao’s 11 kills and three service aces.  Junior middle blocker Olivia Mohler and freshman outside hitter Maureen Ros also chipped in with six kills apiece.  

“We had some individual performances that got better each match,” Keshock noted.  “One in particular was Maureen Ros.  She is adjusting to a new style of play and seemed to get better each match.”

MSU was paced by Jenilee Rathje and Kyndra Abron’s 10 kills each.  Spartan libero Carli Weiler also posted a match-high 17 digs in the victory.

SET ONE: Michigan State 25, South Alabama 18

Michigan State jumped out to an early lead in the opening set, reeling off five of the first six points.  Trailing 8-3, USA began to rally back and pushed across four-straight points to narrow the deficit to 8-7 after a Spartan attack error.  MSU answered right back and quickly regained control with a 9-2 run over the next 11 points.  Rathje ignited the scoring for Michigan State with four-straight kills, and then capped things off and put the Spartans up 17-9 with her fifth put away of the spurt.

With USA trailing by eight (19-11) later in the first set, Salomao attempted to rally the Jags as the senior slammed home a kill and dropped in two services aces to close the gap to four, but that was a close as Michigan State would allow the Jags to get, going on to take a 1-0 lead in the match with the 25-18 victory. 

SET TWO: Michigan State 25, South Alabama 14

South Alabama was able to keep things close over the first half of set two, but with MSU holding a 15-13 advantage, the Spartans pulled away and closed the set on a 10-1 run. The duo of Abron – two kills and solo block – and Kristen Kelsay – two aces – highlighted the MSU run to end the frame.  Gina Lang’s kill sealed the 25-14 victory for Michigan State.

The Spartans posted a blistering .538 attack percentage in the second set, registering 14 kills on 26 attacks, while committing no errors.  USA struggled offensively, hitting just a .086.

SET THREE: Michigan State 25, South Alabama 17

Like the previous set, South Alabama was able to keep things close over the first half of the third set.  USA’s Mohler pulled the Jags to within one at 12-11 with one of her six kills on the afternoon, but over the next 10 points, MSU was able to outscore the Jaguars 8-2 and stretch its lead out to seven points.  USA didn’t help its caused during the Spartan run as the Jags committed four errors.  Rathje and Lang also recorded two kills apiece to round out the scoring for Michigan State.

Abron later sealed the match and gave the Spartans the sweep when the senior outside hitter recorded her 10th kill of the match to give MSU the 25-17 victory.  Michigan State continued its solid hitting, posting a .310 percentage in the final 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: With her seven digs, USA’s Samia Salomao moved into fourth on the program’s career digs chart past former Jag Selena Chidester.  She now has 1,017 for her career.  South Alabama is now 0-2 all-time against Michigan State and 0-4 against Big 10 opponents.