Matches 21-22 - vs. Louisiana-Monroe and vs. North Texas Match Notes (.pdf)
MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team returns home this weekend to host Louisiana-Monroe and North Texas. First serve versus both the Warhawks (Friday) and the Mean Green (Saturday) is set for 7 p.m. at Jag Gym.
“ULM is a team that gives great effort every time you play them,” South Alabama head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said. “They run a different system and will challenge our defense to be disciplined and have awareness throughout the match. North Texas is a very athletic team and will bring an aggressive style to the match with their block and offense. With that, our main focus is taking care of the ball on our side of the court first and sticking to our system.”
Live stats for both matches can be accessed at www.USAJaguars.com.
The Jaguars come into the weekend with a 10-10 overall mark and sitting in third place in the East Division with a 3-3 Sun Belt record. Over the weekend, USA fell 3-1 at UALR on Friday and 3-0 at Arkansas State on Sunday.
“Our team has been working very hard and been very focused on getting better each day,” Hendrichovsky said. “This past weekend we had two matches that we could have won and left the matches knowing we were capable of that. Unfortunately, we didn't and our team will learn from the losses and move forward.
South Alabama is led offensively by the trio of Melissa Waelter, Savannah Stewart and Lindsay Schwartz. Waelter leads the club with 2.94 kills per set and ranks fourth on the team in digs (2.24). The sophomore outside hitter has posted double-digit kill tallies in three of her last six matches and is currently tied for third in the SBC in aces with 0.35 per set.
Stewart leads the team in kills with 198 and ranks second in kills (2.71) and digs per set (2.67). The freshman outside hitter also leads the team in double figure kill matches (10) and double-doubles (6).
Schwartz is also averaging over two kills per set with 2.24 per set this season. Coming into the weekend, the Watertown, Wis., native sits just three block assists from passing former Jag Angela Gattis for third on the program’s career charts.
Junior libero Jenna Hassell’s 4.12 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 15.11 per set.
USA is also fourth in the league in both hitting percentage (.204) and service aces (1.32).
Louisiana-Monroe comes into the match this Friday with a 4-11 overall mark and a 0-6 mark in the Sun Belt. ULM has lost six-straight matches - all 3-0 sweeps - and nine of its last 10 coming into the weekend. The Warhawks only win over the course of its last ten matches was a 3-0 defeat of Grambling State on Sept. 13.
Samantha Morse leads the club on the offensive side of the net, averaging 3.00 kills per set - 10th-best in the conference. Senior outside hitter Zuzanna MArkova is second on the club with 2.21 kills per set.
Sophomore libero Marcela Araya has been outstanding in the defensive back court. As she has all season, Araya currently leads the Sun Belt in that category in digs with 4.96 per set.
Tetiana Suskach is tied for third in the league in serving with 0.35 aces per set.
As a team, ULM ranks last in the SBC in hitting percentage (.136), kills (10.06) and assists (9.10) and 10th in digs (12.82).
North Texas (18-7, 4-2 SBC) enters play this week in second place in the West Division - one game behind UALR. This past weekend, the Mean Green split its two conference matches, falling in straight sets to No. 20 Western Kentucky, but sweeping Middle Tennessee on Sunday.
UNT - which ranks third in the Sun Belt in hitting percentage (.235) and fourth in the conference in both kills (12.85) and assists (11.95) - is led offensively by the duo of freshman Carnae Dillard and junior Courtney Windham. Dillard - a 5-8 outside hitter from San Antonio, Texas - paces the club and ranks fourth in the league in kills with 3.68 per set. In SBC matches, Dillard has bettered that total as she is posting 4.64 kills per set in league matches.
Windham is also averaging over three kills per set coming into action this week averaging 3.30 per set - seventh-best in the conference. The 6-3 outside hitter also leads the Sun Belt in blocks (1.44) - 20th in the NCAAs - and is fourth in the league in hitting percentage (.340).
Junior libero Shelby Tamura - a transfer from New Mexico State - is third in the league in digs with 4.68 per set.
As a team, North Texas not only leads the conference in blocks with 2.66, but also is 32nd nationally in the most recent NCAA rankings. The Mean Green have also been one of the toughest teams to hit against as UNT leads the conference in hitting defense, holding its opponents to just a .154 attack percentage.
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 meeting between Louisiana-Monroe and South Alabama this weekend will mark the 12th in the all-time series between the two clubs. USA holds a slim 6-5 advantage in the series. The Lady Jags have won five straight with four of those coming in straight sets. USA is 3-0 in the series in matches played in Mobile after defeating ULM 3-1 at Jag Gym last season. The meeting between North Texas and South Alabama on Sunday will mark the 21st in the all-time series between the two clubs. UNT holds a 15-5 advantage in the all-time series and since 2002, has won 12 of the last 14 meetings. The Jags are 2-7 versus the Mean Green in Mobile. Last season, North Texas defeated the Jags 3-0 at Jag Gym. Senior outside hitter Lindsay Schwartz is three block assists shy of moving past Angela Gattis for third on the all-time charts. She has 244 for her career coming into the weekend.
-- USA --
