Box Score - Florida International 3, South Alabama 2 (.pdf)

MIAMI – The University of South Alabama volleyball got off to a strong start, picking up the first two sets Saturday night against Florida International, but the Jaguars saw their season come to an end as the Panthers rallied back and captured the 3-2 (25-17, 26-24, 19-25, 20-25, 13-15) decision at U.S. Century Bank Arena.

“The team that we put out on the floor tonight fought hard the whole match and that’s all we can ask for, but we have to get better as we move forward to next year,” South Alabama head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said.  “Overall, I think we had some good leaps this season, but we definitely took some losses here in the last six matches.  It’s going a big lesson learned for us going into the future.  We have to work harder and get toughter.”

With the loss, USA (13-17, 6-9 SBC) says good bye to its five seniors – Katariina Kananen, Olivia Mohler, Lindsay Schwartz, Elina Strautniece and Valerie Podczasy.  By virtue of a better winning percentage due to an unbalanced league schedule, Louisiana-Lafayette – who can finish no worse that 6-8 in the Sun Belt – earns the final berth into the Sun Belt Conference Championship.  With the win, Florida International improves to 10-18 overall and 7-9 in the league and will also advance to postseason play.

“Olivia and Lindsay left it all out on the floor tonight and unfortunately we weren’t able to pull it out for them tonight,” Hendrichovsky said.  “I appreciate their hard work and their effort tonight.  I wish all five of our seniors the best as they move on to the next stage of their lives.”

Offensively, South Alabama was led by Schwartz and Mohler.  Schwartz led the club with 19 kills – a career-high – on 34 attacks and committed just two attack errors for a .500 hitting percentage in her final collegiate match.  Mohler was just as solid, posting 16 kills on 36 attacks and three errors for a .361 attack percentage.  The senior middle blocker also led the Jags at the net with six total blocks – two solo and four assists.  Torlandria Jones also ended the match in double figures with 10 kills and a .308 percentage.  Junior libero Jenna Hassell had 27 digs in the loss.

Freshman setter Emily Hundt had a career-high 46 assists and three kills for USA.

The Panthers placed four players in double figures led by Marija Prsa’s 19.  Kimberly Smith chipped in with 16 kills of her own, while Lucia Castro and Gloria Levorin each had 13 for FIU.  Levorin also hit .480 in the match, helping lead the Panthers to a .302 percentage as a team for the match.  Panther libero Ryanne Milligan had a match-high 29 digs.

SET ONE: South Alabama 25, Florida International 17
Carolyn Fouls put FIU out in front by one (11-10) early in the opening set with an ace, but Mohler registered USA’s next three points – two kills and a block assists – to give the Jags a 13-11 lead.

The Panthers stayed close over the next few points, and cut the deficit to 14-13 on a Jag service error, but that was as close as Florida International would get as Emily Hundt, Savannah Stewart and Lindsay Schwartz each recorded a kill to extend the lead back out to four.  Schwartz led South Alabama with five kills in frame.

The USA defense later sealed the 25-17 first-set win when Mohler teamed up with Deanna Canfield to turn back a Panther attack.  

South Alabama posted its best offensive showing of the match in the first set, finishing with 17 kills on 38 attacks and committed just two errors for a .395 percentage.

SET TWO: South Alabama 26, Florida International 24
Behind Prsa and Levorin – who had two kills apiece early on in the second set – Florida International jumped out to an early 8-3 lead.  USA battled back though and tied the frame back up at 13-13 on a kill from Deanna Canfield.  Canfield ended the night with eight kills.  

In extra points with the set still tied 24-24, Mohler broke the tie with her sixth kill of the frame and 10th kill of the night.  USA then took the second set, 26-24, after a FIU attack error.

Levorin also had six kills on eight attacks for the Panthers in the set.

SET THREE: Florida International 25, South Alabama 19
In the third set, Mohler blasted another kill for the Jaguars to trim the deficit to one (12-11), but FIU responded with five unanswered points – four coming off of kills by Prsa – to take a six-point lead.  USA could draw no closer the rest of the way as Levorin eventually sealed the 25-19 victory with a kill.  Smith and Prsa each recorded six kills apiece in the third set.

SET FOUR: Florida International 25, South Alabama 20
The fourth set was close throughout as neither team was able to gain more that a three-point advantage on the other.  South Alabama made a late charge at the Panthers as Schwartz registered her sixth kill of the set to pull the Jags to within two at 22-20, but FIU was able to pick up the final three points and force a fifth set on a kill by Levorin.  

SET FIVE: Florida International 15, South Alabama 13
In the deciding set, South Alabama set just two points (13-12) away from taking the match after kills from Schwartz and Mohler.  However, the Jaguars serve on the next point went wide left.  FIU then retook the lead on a block by Levorin and Silvia and clinched the match 15-13 after an attack went long.

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 match versus Florida International was the final one for South Alabama’s five seniors – Katariina Kananen, Olivia Mohler, Lindsay Schwartz, Elina Strautniece and Valerie Podczasy.  By virtue of a better winning percentage due to an unbalanced league schedule, Louisiana-Lafayette – who can finish no worse than 6-8 in the Sun Belt – earns the final berth into the Sun Belt Conference Championship over USA (6-9).  The Jags fall to 6-21-1 in the all-time series. USA is also 2-12 versus Florida International in matches played in Miami.  South Alabama’s last win versus FIU in Miami came back during the 2004 season.  With her one block assists against FIU, Schwartz finishes her career tied for second in career block assists.

The 19 kills by Schwartz were also a new career-best for the Jag senior.

The 13 wins are the most for the program since the 1995 season and the six conference wins are tied for the most SBC wins in a season.

Jaguar middle blocker Torlandria Jones finishes the season with a .314 hitting percentage – the highest single-season percentage by a player at South Alabama since Keturah Carter (.357) back during the 1987 season.

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