South Alabama 3, Southeastern Louisiana 0 (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – Behind a combined 25 kills from senior outside hitter Samia Salomao and freshman middle blocker Melissa Waelter, the University of South Alabama volleyball team picked up its first victory of the season Friday evening at the Jaguar Classic held at Jag Gym.  USA picked up a sweep of Southeastern Louisiana with set victories of 25-20, 25-23 and 32-30. 

“It was a good first win for us, especially against a Southeastern Louisiana team who had taken Louisiana Tech to five earlier today,” South Alabama head coach Nicole Keshock said.  “They are the type of team that if they get the momentum can go on big runs, which we saw tonight.  We want our team to be aggressive and take risk in their comeback moments and tonight they saw that really does pay off.  It was a great team effort.”

Salomao posted a match-high 13 kills, while Waelter was close behind with 12 kills and a season-high five service aces. 

“We are trying to run a faster offense and the set outside is a little quicker,” Keshock added.  “I think it has really helped both Samia and Melissa.  Even when they errored, they were both able to come back and make a play.”

Fellow freshman Maureen Ros was one of three Jags (1-3) in double figures in digs with 16.  Salomao and Jenna Hassell also each finished with 11 digs apiece. 

The Lions dropped to 1-5 on the year with the loss and were paced offensively by Paige Dollison’s nine kills.  Megan McMillan and Taylor Buckner each had 12 digs apiece for SLU.

USA will return to action on Saturday with a pair of matches, beginning with Alabama A&M at 11 a.m., followed later in the evening by Louisiana Tech at 7 p.m.

SET ONE: South Alabama 25, Southeastern Louisiana 20

Led by the play of Olivia Mohler and Katariina Kananen, South Alabama got off to a quick start in the opening set, grabbing five of the first six points.  During the scoring run, Mohler and Kananen combined for three kills and a block assists to spur on the Jags.  Over the next four points, Southeastern Louisiana was able to close the gap to two, but USA responded and pushed the lead right back out with a 9-3 run over the next 12 points.  The Jags continued to extend their advantage in the frame, as Mohler again provided the offense for USA with another kill to give South Alabama a 19-9 advantage.

The Lions managed to hang around and chipped away at the deficit, pulling to within 24-20 after back-to-back kills from Dollison and Mueller, but Mohler was able to put the Jags up 1-0 in the match when the junior dropped in her fourth kill of the set and seal the 25-20 victory.

Both Mohler and Salomao paced the offensive attack, each recording four kills in the first frame.  As a team, South Alabama was solid posting an attack percentage of .265 (14-5-34).

SET TWO: South Alabama 25, Southeastern Louisiana 23

USA got off to another strong start in the second set as Waelter’s back-to-back aces put the Jags up 7-2, but the lead didn’t last long as Southeastern Louisiana rattled off eight of the next nine points that was capped off by a kill from Kinsey Williams.  USA would tie the contest back up at 10 two points later, but the Lions recaptured the momentum and retook the lead (16-11) on a Taylor Buckner ace. 

Coming out of a time out, the Jaguars began to rally back behind the play of Waelter.  The freshman from Arnsberg, Germany posted four kills over South Alabama’s next seven points and later put USA back out in front, 19-18, with her fourth ace of the match.  Waelter would go on to record six of her 12kills in the match during the set.

Tied at 20-20, SLU looked as if it were going to the set as Dollison’s serve found the court and gave the Lions the a 23-20 advantage.  USA though ended Southeastern’s threat there and closed out the frame with five unanswered points.  The Jaguars used their serving game to tie the contest back up at 23-23 with an ace from Kananen.  Salomao and Lea Thurm then recorded kills to give USA the 25-23 come-from-behind win and go up 2-0 in the match.

SET THREE: South Alabama 32, Southeastern Louisiana 30

Tied at 7-7 in set three, USA was the first to break away and open things up.  Salomao and Ros combined for two kills apiece over USA’s next four points, with Ros giving the Jags an 11-8 advantage.  The Jaguars went on to lead by as much as four at 17-13 following Waelter’s fifth ace of the match, but the Lions came right back and reclaimed the lead with a 7-1 run.  Stephanie Mueller and Dollison combined for a block assist to cap off the run and give SLU a 21-17 advantage.

The Lions maintained the lead down the stretch and set at set-point (24-21), but like the second set, South Alabama would rally back.  Following an attack error from Southeastern, USA tied the set up at 24-24 after a kill from Waelter and an ace from Hassell.

In extra points, South Alabama had four different opportunities to clinch the match, but the Jags were finally able to seal the win when Thurm broke a 30-30 tie with a kill and an attack error from SLU gave USA the 32-20 victory and the match.

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).

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