Jaguar Classic Notes (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team returns home to this weekend to host the Jaguar Classic at Jag Gym.  USA will face Southeastern Louisiana on Friday at 7 p.m. and then return Saturday for a pair of matches – vs. Alabama A&M at 11 a.m. and vs. Louisiana Tech at 7 p.m.

“We are glad to be at home this weekend,” South Alabama head coach Nicole Keshock said.  “I think that playing at home this weekend will be good for the team.  The field offers us a variety of competition, just looking at how they all did during their opening weekend.  Like us, they all played some touch competition as well.”

Along with South Alabama, Southeastern Louisiana, Alabama A&M and Louisiana Tech, Samford is also scheduled to compete in the tournament, but will not face the Jags.  Tournament action gets under way on Friday with LTU and SELA facing off at 1 p.m.  USA and AAMU will open play on Saturday.

The Jaguars (0-3) return home looking for their first win of the 2011 campaign.  USA opened the season last weekend at the Courtyard by Marriott/UCF Classic in Orlando, Fla., but fell 3-0 to both Central Florida and Michigan State and 3-2 to North Florida.

“We definitely didn’t come back from our opening weekend with the results that we wanted, but I think the Central Florida tournament was a great measuring stick for where we want to be and what we want to do,” Keshock said.  “We were able to see our weaknesses that we sometimes aren’t able to see in practice.  I am anxious to see how we improve in practice this week on what we didn’t do so well on last weekend.”

Over the course of its first three matches of the season, South Alabama has struggled on the offensive side of the net, hitting just .094 and averaging 9.3 kills per set.  Conversely, USA’s opponents have hit .272 and averaged 13.0 kills per set. 

Senior outside Samia Salomao joined an elite group at the UCF tourney as she became just the fifth Jaguar to eclipse the 1,000 dig mark for her career and moved into fourth-place on the all-time chart.  Entering the weekend, she has 1,017 digs for her career. 

Salomao leads the club in both kills and digs.  The San Jose Dos Campos, Brazil native comes into Friday’s action averaging 2.73 kps and 3.18 dps.  Against North Florida, she posted her first double-double of the season with 10 kills and 20 digs.  Salomao has also been a threat from the service line this season as she is leading the Sun Belt in aces with 0.55 per set.

Middle blockers Olivia Mohler and Melissa Waelter rank second on the club offensively as they are each averaging 1.91 kills per set. 

Both Salomao and Mohler were named to the all-tournament team for their play last weekend.

Defensively, freshman Maureen Ros has also been solid in the backcourt for the Jags thus far.  The Doetinchem, Netherlands native ranks second on the club in digs with 2.18 per set.  Sophomore libero Jenna Hassell is close behind her with 2.00 per set. 

Friday night’s opponent, Southeastern Louisiana (0-3) opened up the 2011 season last weekend at the Mississippi State Maroon Classic, falling 3-0 to the host Bulldogs, Southern Illinois and Tennessee-Martin.  The Lions will host Jackson State on Tuesday prior to traveling to Mobile.

Through the first three matches of the season, SELA has struggled offensively, hitting just .066 as a team, while its opponents have hit .265.

Courtney Donald and Kinsey Williams have been the two main offensive threats so far for the Lions.  Donald leads the club with 2.44 kills per set, while Williams is averaging 2.00 per frame.  The duo is hitting .238 and .244, respectively.  Williams was also selected to the all-tournament team this past weekend.  Defensively, four players are averaging over two digs per set for Southeastern Louisiana, led by Lindsey Young’s 2.89.

Alabama A&M enters the Jaguar Classic with a 1-3 mark this season.  The Bulldogs picked up their first win of the season when they defeated Southeast Missouri (3-1) at the Memphis Invitational.  AAMU also faced Sun Belt member UALR, falling 3-1 to the Trojans.  Alabama A&M will travel to Auburn to take on the Tigers on Tuesday before heading to Mobile.

On the offensive side of the net, the duo of Karnesa Beckford and Clairissa Moore pace the club.  Beckford (3.93 kps) and Moore (3.00 kps) were each preseason all-SWAC selections this season and each have an attack percentage above .200.

Beckford and Levita Feaster lead the team at the net, each with 11 blocks this year.  In the backcourt, senior libero Audrey Harris leads the squad and ranks third in the SWAC in digs with 3.79 per set.  As a team, the Bulldogs lead the league in kills, assists and hitting percentage.

Louisiana Tech comes into the weekend after recording a 1-2 mark at the Bearkat Invitational.  The Lady Techsters picked up a five-set victory over Big East member Rutgers over the weekend, but fell 3-0 to both Sam Houston State and Texas-Pan American.

Sophomore outside hitter Clara Vido had a stellar opening weekend, averaging 4.11 kills per set.  Marcela Braz is second on the club in that category with 1.90 per set.

Junior libero Stephanie Salas earned all-tournament honors at the Bearkat tournament.  She is currently tied with Fresno State’s Korrin Wild as the WAC’s leader in digs with 5.91 per set. 

As a team, Louisiana Tech ranks as one of the top defensive clubs in the WAC, leading the league with 17.1 digs per set and ranking second in the conference in blocks with 2.68.

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:  South Alabama and Southeastern Louisiana have met 40 times in the all-time series between the two programs.  USA holds a 21-19 advantage in the series.  The Jaguars have also won five straight in the series, including taking both meetings 3-0 last season.  Against current members of the Southland Conference, South Alabama holds an all-time record of 53-51.  USA will also face fellow SLC member Nicholls State on Sept. 10 at the Colonel Classic in Thibodaux, La.  South Alabama and Alabama A&M have met two previous times splitting both of those meetings.  Last season, the Bulldogs picked up a 3-1 victory at the Jaguar Classic.  South Alabama holds a 51-6 all-time record against current Southwestern Athletic Conference members.  USA will also face SWAC members Alabama State (Sept. 9) and Jackson State (Sept. 10) at the Colonel Classic in Thibodaux, La.  The match with Louisiana Tech will mark 15th between the two schools and the 28th for the Jags against a Western Athletic Conference opponent.  LTU holds the series advantage with a 13-1 record versus the Jags.  The Bulldogs won the last meeting in the series, defeating the Jaguars 3-0 at the Lady Techster Tournament in Ruston, La.  USA’s lone victory in the series came back during the 2000 season, a 3-1 win in Ruston.  South Alabama holds a 1-26 all-time mark versus WAC opponents.

JAGUAR CLASSIC SCHEDULE
Friday, September 2
1 p.m. – Louisiana Tech vs. Southeastern Louisiana
3 p.m. – Alabama A&M vs. Samford
5 p.m. – Louisiana Tech vs. Alabama A& M
7 p.m. – South Alabama vs. Southeastern Louisiana

Saturday, September 3
11 a.m. – South Alabama vs. Alabama A& M
1 p.m. – Louisiana Tech vs. Samford
3 p.m. – Alabama A&M vs. Southeastern Louisiana
5 p.m. – Southeastern Louisiana vs. Samford
7 p.m. – South Alabama vs. Louisiana Tech