Belmont 3, South Alabama 0 (.pdf)

Tulane 3, South Alabama 2 (.pdf)

NEW ORLEANS – The University of South Alabama volleyball team fought hard on the final day of the Kathy Trosclair Memorial Tournament at Fogleman Arena on Saturday, but the Jaguars came up short as they fell to both Belmont and Tulane.

“I felt that we fought hard in both matches today against two very good teams” South Alabama head coach Nicole Keshock said.  “I saw a total team effort, but we just came up short at the end.”

USA (5-7) will now begin Sun Belt Conference play next weekend when the Jaguars welcome Louisiana-Lafayette on Friday and Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday.  South Alabama will take on the Ragin’ Cajuns at 7 p.m.

For her play, Jag freshman Maureen Ros was named to the all-tournament team.  In three matches, Ros had 30 kills (2.73 kps) and 27 digs (2.18 dps), while registering a .314 attack percentage.

TULANE 3, South Alabama 2 (25-19, 16-25, 25-23, 21-25, 15-13)

In the night cap, Tulane (5-6) was able to outlast the Jags and pick up a 3-2 (25-19, 16-25, 25-23, 21-25, 15-13) in the final match of the Green Wave tourney.

Samia Salomao and Ros each recorded 15 kills in the loss for South Alabama.  The 15 kills for Ros was a new career-best, while Salomao added 17 digs for her 18th double-double of her career.  Jag setter Katariina Kananen recorded her fourth double-double of the season and second of the day with 43 assists and 13 digs.  Sophomore libero Jenna Hassell also set a new career-high with 29 digs. 

Tulane was led offensively by Cori Martone and Izabela Grot, who finished with 17 and 16 digs, respectively.  Green Wave libero Nikki Osuna added a team-high 28 digs in the win.

SET ONE: Tulane 25, South Alabama 19

USA trailed by four early on in the first set, but the Jags quickly pushed across three-straight points, the last two coming on after a pair of Olivia Mohler aces to trim the deficit to 8-7.  Over the next several points, USA was able to hang around and not let the Green Wave stretch the lead back out to more than three points until later in the frame.

With Tulane holding a 16-15 advantage, Anna Wruck and Milena Dragovic began a brief run of three-straight points that put the Green Wave back out in front 19-15.  TU would maintain that advantage the rest of the way and go on to take the set 25-19 after a Grace Weaver service ace.

During the opening set, the Tulane offense posted a .281 hitting percentage with 13 kills on 32 attempts with four errors.

SET TWO: South Alabama 25, Tulane 16

In the second set, South Alabama was the team to grab the early lead, jumping out to an 8-4 advantage after a bad set from Tulane.  The Green Wave managed to hang around and cut the deficit to as few as two over the next several points, but with the Jags leading 13-11, Mohler and Melissa Waelter keyed a 6-1 run for USA over the next seven points.  Salomao capped off the scoring and gave USA a 19-12 lead with a kill of her own.

Down the stretch, Salomao and Ros picked up the Jaguar offense, registering five of USA’s final eight points as USA evened the match with the 25-16 second-set victory.  After struggling during the first set, South Alabama’s offense was much more efficient in the second frame, recording 12 kills on 30 attacks, while committing just one error for a .367 percentage.

SET THREE: Tulane 25, South Alabama 23

Tulane held an early 4-3 lead in the third set, but the Jaguars didn’t let it last long as they rattled off six of the next seven points and took a 9-5 lead after another kill from Salomao.  The Green Wave ended the run for USA and answered back with two straight points, but Salomao once again had the answer for the Jaguars, posting another kill and teaming up with Lea Thurm for a block. 

With USA leading by five at 12-7, Tulane came right back and tied the set up at 12.  Azarri Badawi began the run of five unanswered points and Martone blasted four-straight kill to cap things off and tie the set. 

Still tied 16-16,  South Alabama looked as if it had retaken control, extending its lead back out to three on two occasions behind the play of Mohler – who added three more kills during that stretch, but the duo of Grot and Martone led the charge for the Green Wave as they combined for seven of TU’s final eight points.  Grot had five kills down the stretch, while Martone had a kill and a block. 

With USA leading 23-21 after another kill from Salomao, the Green Wave closed the set by picking the final four points to take the third set, 25-23.  Martone and Olivia Utt combined for a block to break a 23-23 tie and Tulane captured the set after another Jaguar attack error.

During the set, Martone and Grot combined for 10 of Tulane’s 13 kills.

SET FOUR: South Alabama 25, Tulane 21

The fourth set was a tight for much of the contest as over the first 30 points the two clubs exchanged the lead eight times and had 13 ties.  Neither squad was able to take more than a two-point lead on the other, until with Tulane holding a 17-16 lead, the Jags were able to push across four-straight points and take a 20-17 lead.  A Green Wave serving error began the mini run.  Ros and Salomao then added a kill each and Kananen dropped in an ace to give USA the three-point advantage. 

Unlike the previous set, USA was able to close out the fourth and even the match at two sets apiece with the 25-21 victory.  The Jaguar defense clinched the win as Kananen and Mohler teamed up to turn away a Tulane attack and seal the four-point win.

SET FIVE: Tulane 15, South Alabama 13

In the fifth and final set, USA got off to a great start, taking the first three points of the set, but Tulane came right back rattling off nine of the next 11 to retake the lead.  Martone got things going with two more kills and a block. 

South Alabama was able to narrow the deficit to 9-8 after back-to-back kills from Waelter and an ace from Ros and later tie the set up at 11-11 after an ace from Waelter.  Tied a 12 two points later, Tulane picked up three of the final four points of the match, the last coming on  to take the set 15-13.  Grot again came up big for Tulane, recording four of her 16 kills in the frame.

BELMONT 3, SOUTH ALABAMA 0 (25-23, 25-14, 25-23)

In the opening match of the day for the Jags, USA fought hard, but Belmont improved to 9-6 on the year with a 3-0 (25-23, 25-14, 25-23) victory.  With the win, BU completes a 3-0 performance and takes home the tournament title – it’s second in as many weeks.

The Bruins recorded a .292 hitting percentage and placed two players in double figures on the offensive side of the net.  Preseason Atlantic Sun Player of Year Maggie Johnson led the way for Belmont as she recorded a match-high 18 kills, while also posting 11 digs.  Jen Myer also chipped in with 12 kills and Jamie Lundstrom registered 20 digs.

For the second-straight match, Valerie Podczasy set a new career-high with 13 kills.  The Jag outside hitter was the lone player for USA to break double digits.  Samia Salomao nearly did, finishing the match with nine kills on 16 attacks for a team-best .562 hitting percentage.  Katariina Kananen added a double-double with 31 assists and 13 digs – her third double-double of the season.  Maureen Ros also added 13 digs of her own.

SET ONE: Belmont 25, South Alabama 23

Both teams played well in the opening set and kept things close as there were 15 ties and nine lead changes during the set.  Johnson and Myer each recorded four of their kills during the frame, while Podczasy also had four during the first set for the Jaguars, including one that tied the contest up at 23-23.  Belmont, however, was able to push across the final two points it needed to take the set.  Allison McCoy recorded one of her seven kills to put the Bruins within one point and on the next point, McCoy teamed up with Myer to turn back a Jaguar attack, giving BU the 25-23 victory.

SET TWO: Belmont 25, South Alabama 14

In the second set, it was the duo of Myer and Johnson that again led the way for Belmont.  Myer finished the frame with six of her 12 kills in the set, while for the second-straight set, Johnson had four of her own.  Riding the momentum of the first-set victory, the Bruins posted their best offensive performance of the match with 14 kills on 32 attacks, while committing just one error for a .406 hitting percentage.

Leading by two in the set at 9-7, Belmont broke things open with an 11-3 run over the next 14 points to take control.  Myer spurred the run with two blocks and a kill.  BU went on to take the set and go up 2-0 in the match with the 25-14 victory.

SET THREE: Belmont 25, South Alabama 23

Riding the momentum, Belmont got out to a quick 4-0 start in the final set.  The scoring burst for BU was highlighted by a pair of aces from Hannah Miranda. 

With USA trailing 15-11, behind the play of Salomao, the Jaguars made a run as the senior outside hitter slammed home five-straight kills to give South Alabama a 16-15 advantage.  Belmont would keep battling and eventually retook the lead at 21-18 after four consecutive kills from Johnson. 

South Alabama once again battled back and tied the frame up at 23-23 on a Thurm putaway, but Johnson blasted another kill and Miranda then clinched the match and the 25-23 third-set victory with her third ace of the match.

The Jaguars rebounded from hitting a .054 in the second set to hit a match-best .348 (18-2-46) in the final set.  BU was just as efficient finishing the set with a .304.

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).

Kathy Trosclair Memorial All-Tournament Team
Hannah Miranda, Belmont (MVP)
Jen Myer, Belmont
Maggie Johnson, Belmont
Cori Martone, Tulane
Maureen Ros, South Alabama
Cynthia McCollum, Lamar

Tournament Standings
Team - Record (Sets Won-Sets Lost)
1. Belmont - 3-0 (9-2)
2. Tulane - 1-2 (6-8)
3. South Alabama - 1-2 (5-6)
4. Lamar - 1-2 (3-7)

Three Team Tie Breaker Progression reached Sets Won

-- USA --