Matches 23-24 - at Troy and vs. Louisiana-Lafayette Match Notes (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – Coming off a pair of league victories over the weekend, the University of South Alabama volleyball team returns to action this week with a pair of matches.  USA will travel to take on in-state rival Troy at Sartain Hall on Thursday at 7 p.m., before returning home to host Louisiana-Lafayette at Jag Gym on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Sunday’s match versus the Ragin’ Cajuns will begin a stretch of five-straight home matches for the Jaguars.  Those five matches will also be a continuation of a stretch in which the Jags play seven of eight in Mobile.  USA has been perfect at home thus far this season, posting a 4-0 record at Jag Gym.

“All season long, we have discussed with our team that winning at home is important,” South Alabama head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said.  “With our wins over Louisiana-Monroe and North Texas over the weekend, we have gained some momentum and we want to carry that on through the end of the season.  I feel the conference is very balanced this year and it’s going to be a battle all the way to the end.  Our matches this week against Troy and Louisiana-Lafayette are two very important matches for us.  I look for both of them to present challenges for us and for our team to accept those challenges and fight.”

Live stats for both matches can be accessed at www.USAJaguars.com.

The Jaguars (12-10, 5-3 SBC) enter Sun Belt action this week fresh off a weekend sweep of Louisiana-Monroe and North Texas.  USA captured a five-set victory over the Warhawks on Friday, before taking the Mean Green in four on Saturday.  The 12 wins by South Alabama are the most for the program since the 1995 season when USA finished 14-12.  USA is also just one win away from tying for the most league wins in program history.

South Alabama continues to be led offensively by Melissa Waelter.  The sophomore outside hitter leads the club and ranks eighth in the most recent Sun Belt standings in kills with 3.10 per set.  Waelter has also posted five double-doubles on the year, including three in league play.  Over the weekend, she had a pair of double-doubles, highlighted by new career best in kills (22) and digs (18) against ULM.  The Arnsberg, Germany native also tied for second in the conference with Jelena Fovanovic (Florida Atlantic) in service aces as she is registering 0.35 per set.

True freshman Savannah Stewart paces the club in total kills (224) and is second with 2.73 kills per set.  She also leads the club in double-doubles after recording her seventh of the season with 14 kills and 13 digs against ULM.  

Junior libero Jenna Hassell’s 4.04 digs per set not only lead the club but also rank seventh in the conference.  As a team, the Jaguars rank third in the Sun Belt in that same category, as they average 15.12 per set.

USA is also fourth in the league in both hitting percentage (.207) and service aces (1.26).

Troy enters Thursday night’s match versus the Jaguars with a 15-8 overall mark and a 6-2 record in the Sun Belt.  The 6-2 start is the best start to SBC play in school history.  The Trojans remained in second place in the East Division over the weekend with a 3-1 victory over Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday and a 3-0 win over North Texas on Friday.  

The Trojans have won three straight matches and six of their last seven after the two league victories.  Troy has won its last five home matches and is 4-0 in conference play at Sartain Hall.

Freshman outside hitter Blair Winston has made an immediate impact on the Trojan line up, as she leads the club and ranks ninth in the Sun Belt in kills with 3.08 per set.  Kayla Pickart (2.77 kps), Breamatnna Cullity (2.52 kps) and Devin Von Pingel (2.38) have also added the Trojan offensive attack.  Von Pingel also ranks as one of the top hitters in the league as her .296 attack percentage is eighth-best in the SBC.

The Trojans have also been solid defensively thus far, as the squad leads the conference in digs (15.98) and are second in holding their opposition to a .160 hitting percentage.  

The strong defense has been aided both in the back court and at the net.  Junior Courtney Cohen’s 4.71 digs per set average is second among the league liberos and Cullity ranks fourth in blocks (1.06).

Louisiana-Lafayette comes into play this week with a 12-11 overall record and a 4-4 mark in the league.  ULL has won three of its last four, following a pair of home victories over the weekend, defeating West Division leader UALR 3-0 on Saturday and Arkansas State 3-1 on Friday.

The Ragin’ Cajuns are led by the trio of Lavinia Tataran, Blair Claypoole and Kelly Wiesmann.  Tataran paces the club with a 2.60 kills-per-set average, while Claypoole (2.25) and Wiesmann (2.20) are close behind her.  ULL also has two other players sitting just outside of two kills per set - Andrea Hole (1.98) and Tonice White (1.96).

One of the strengths for Louisiana-Lafayette this season has been in the serving department.  ULL currently leads the Sun Belt in that category with 1.61 aces per set.  Individually, The Cajuns have four players ranked in the top 10 in the league in that category, led by senior setter Mandi Gavin’s 29 aces - which is fourth in the conference.  Hole (fifth), Taylor Meade (ninth) and Tataran (10) also rank among the league leaders from beyond the serving line.

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: The 12 wins by the Jaguars are the most for the program since the 1995 season when USA finished 14-12.  South Alabama is also just one win away from tying for the most league wins in program history.  The 6-2 start is the best start to SBC play in school history for Troy.  Louisiana-Lafayette leads the Sun Belt in serving with 1.61 aces per set and has four players ranked in the top 10 in the league in that category.  The meeting between Troy and South Alabama this week will mark the 59th in the all-time series between the two clubs.  USA holds a 37-21 advantage in the all-time series and has won five of the last eight meetings.  The Jags are also 21-8 versus the Trojans in matches played in Mobile.  The two clubs split the two meetings last season with Troy taking the first 3-1 in Mobile and the Jaguars sweeping the Trojans in the second.  The meeting between Louisiana-Lafayette and South Alabama on Sunday will mark the 43rd in the all-time series between the two clubs. ULL holds a 31-11 advantage in the all-time series and have won eight of the last 12 dating back to the 2003 season.  The Jags are 7-11 versus the Ragin’ Cajuns in Mobile.  Last season, USA defeated the ULL 3-1 at Jag Gym.

-- USA --