Matches 19-20 - at UALR and at Arkansas State (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – Coming off a weekend sweep of the Florida schools, the University of South Alabama volleyball team returns to the road for a pair of tough matches this week when the Jaguars travel to take on Sun Belt West Division leader UALR and defending division champion Arkansas State.  

“We’ve been talking each week about taking things one match at a time,” South Alabama head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said.  “Looking at the match a few weeks ago, you really didn’t know how things would be in the league.  Over these last few weeks though, UALR has gotten off to an undefeated start in conference play.  They have an outside hitter (Edina Begic) who’s leading the conference in both kills and kills per set.  She also has a solid team around her and I feel that’s what makes them such a great team right now.  Arkansas State has won the last three division titles in the West, so they have a lot of leaders on that team that have been able to be successful and they know what it takes to win that division.  Both will be good, tough test on the road for us.”

USA and the Trojans are set to square off on Friday at the Jack Stephens Center at 7 p.m. The Jags will then take on the Red Wolves on Sunday at the Convocation Center with first serve scheduled for 1 p.m.  Live stats for both matches can be accessed at www.USAJaguars.com.

The Jaguars come into this weekend’s two match road swing tied with Troy for second-place in the Sun Belt’s East Division with a 10-8 record and a 3-1 mark in league play.  The 3-1 start is tied for the best start in conference play after the first four matches and the 10 wins are just one shy of tying the total wins mark for the Jaguars for each of the last four seasons.  The last time USA had more than 11 wins in a season was back during the 1995 season when the Jaguars finished with a 14-12 mark.

Sophomore outside hitter Melissa Waelter has spurred on the Jaguar offense during USA’s recent play.  Waelter has led South Alabama in kills in three of her last four matches and now ranks 10th in the Sun Belt in kills per set with 3.07.  During the four match stretch, Waelter has been even better averaging nearly four kills per set (3.86) and ranking second in digs with 2.64.  Waelter also enters play this week tied with Louisiana-Lafayette’s Mandi Gavin for the league lead in aces per set.  She has 18 on the season and is averaging 0.41.

True freshman Savannah Stewart has also been solid thus far in 2012.  Stewart leads USA with 189 total kills and ranks second on the club behind Waelter with 2.86 kps.  Stewart has a team-high 10 double-digit kill matches and is also averaging 2.64 dps.

Junior libero continues to rank among the league leaders with 4.26 digs per set - fifth-best in the SBC.  

As a team, the Jaguars rank second in conference in service aces (1.41), third in digs (15.23) and fourth in hitting percentage (.206).

UALR enters conference action this weekend fresh off a thrilling five-set victory over North Texas in a battle for first place in the Sun Belt’s West Division.  The Trojans are 8-8 overall and a perfect 4-0 in league play.

The Trojans have been paced all season by outside hitter Edina Begic.  The 6-2 sophomore not only leads the conference, but also the nation in kills, averaging 5.45 per set.  She has posted 365 kills, as well as a team-high 25 aces.  She is tied for third in the league in aces with Florida Atlantic’s Jelena Jovanovic.

Begic has been just as valuable defensively for UALR as she ranks second on the team in digs (3.24 dps - 217) and third in blocks with 42.  This past week, Begic picked up her second SBC Player of the Week honor after helping guide the Trojans to the victory over the Mean Green on Sunday - their fourth-straight.  

Along with Begic, UALR’s Eva Xie (2.76) and Adisa Hodzic (2.27) are also offensive threats.  Hodzic leads the club defensively too with 66 total blocks on the season.  

Senior libero Emily Pepperman has been solid in the back court where she ranks eighth in the conference with 4.06 digs.  As a team, UALR’s 15.75 dps are second-best amongst the SBC.

Arkansas State comes in to play this weekend, sitting in third place in the West Division with an 11-8 overall mark and a 2-2 SBC record.  Over the weekend, the Red Wolves fell in straight sets to North Texas on Friday and then won 3-0 over Louisiana-Monroe on Sunday.  ASU will take on Southeast Missouri on Tuesday and Troy on Friday before facing the Jaguars on Sunday.  

On the offensive side of the net, ASU is led by senior outside hitter Jasmine Terry.  Terry not only leads the team with her 3.54 kills per set, but also ranks fifth in the conference in that same category.  Fellow senior Kelsie Hodges holds the second-best hitting percentage in the Sun Belt (.362) entering play this week.

Senior setter Allison Kearney ranks third in the SBC in assists with (10.94).  She Moved into sixth on the all-time ASU career chart in that category this past weekend.  She has 2,761 for her career.  

Junior libero Megan Baska is seventh in the league in digs with 4.08 and is also climbing one of the Red Wolves’ career charts.  She has 1,325 career digs and is fourth on the list.

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 3-1 league start for South Alabama is tied for its best start to Sun Belt play after four matches.  USA also began the 2010 and 1994 league schedules with a 3-1 record. Sophomore outside hitter Melissa Waelter has played a vital role in helping the Jags get off to a strong conference start.  Over her last four matches, she has averaged 3.68 kills per set and led USA offensively in three of those contests.  Jaguar assistant coach Shawn Taylor was an assistant in Jonesboro for the previous three seasons before coming to Mobile.  Coming into play this week, senior middle blocker Olivia Mohler sits just three blocks shy of moving into a tie with Ninette Encalade for 10th in total blocks, as she has 218 for her career.  The meeting between UALR and South Alabama this weekend will mark the 26th in the all-time series between the two clubs. UALR holds a 22-3 advantage in the series.  Coming into Friday night’s match versus the Jags, the Trojans have taken 22 of the previous 24 meetings, including last season’s 3-0 victory in Little Rock.  USA is now 0-9 in the series in matches played in Little Rock and since 1999, has only won one set in the last four matches.  The meeting between Arkansas State and South Alabama on Sunday will mark the 26th in the all-time series between the two clubs. ASU has dominated the series versus the Jags, holding a 22-3 advantage in those previous meeting.  Last season, the Red Wolves captured a 3-1 victory over USA at the Convocation Center.  USA is 1-10 in the series in matches played in Jonesboro.  The lone road win in the series for South Alabama came back during the 2001 season.

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