Box Score - South Alabama 3, Jacksonville 0 (.pdf)
STATESBORO, Ga. – After committing several costly unforced errors the night before against Georgia Southern, the University of South Alabama volleyball team bounced back and posted a season-best .463 hitting percentage in its 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-10) victory over Jacksonville Friday evening at the Springhill Suites Invitational held at Hanner Fieldhouse.
The Jaguars (6-6) will close out the tournament with a pair of matches on Saturday - vs. Savannah State (11 a.m. CT) and versus Wisconsin (4 p.m. (CT). Live stats can be accessed at www.USAJaguars.com.
The offensive showing was quiet different from the night before as USA finished the match versus the Dolphins with a season-low eight attack errors in its 80 attempts. The Jags also had 45 kills, also a season-best for a three-set match. USA committed 28 attack errors against GSU on Thursday.
Freshman outside hitter Savannah Stewart led the way for South Alabama with a match-high 13 kills. Lindsay Schwartz also chipped in with nine, while Melissa Waelter added eight. Jaguar middle blocker Torlandria Jones made the most of her attempts, finishing the night with seven kills on eight attempts for a .875 hitting percentage.
Jones and Waelter also combined for four of USA’s five aces.
JU (2-9) was paced offensively by Gabriela Roman’s eight kills. Alison Loeppky and Kylie Jacob each added six kills of their own. As a team, the Dolphins registered a .165 hitting percentage.
SET ONE: South Alabama 25, Jacksonville 18
South Alabama picked up six of the first seven points of the match to take the early lead and never looked back. The trio of Schwartz, Stewart and Jones led the way during the opening run. Schwartz and Stewart each posted a pair of kills, while Jones added an ace and a kill.
Jacksonville was only able to get as close as three the rest of the way, the last coming at 15-12, but USA wouldn’t let them draw any close as the Jags went on to take the first set, 25-18, after another kill from Jones – her third of the frame. Stewart also had three kills in the first set and Schwartz chipped in with four.
As a team, the Jaguars were on fire offensively, posting a .480 hitting percentage. USA finished with 15 kills on 28 attempts, while committing just three attack errors.
SET TWO: South Alabama 25, Jacksonville 20
In the second set, it was the Dolphins who got off to a quick start, jumping out to an early 7-3 advantage following a kill from Roman.
USA hung around over the next several points and down 12-7 to JU, finally began to get things going again.
Trailing by five, the trio of Jones, Schwartz and Stewart led the charge and ignited an 8-3 scoring spurt for the Jaguars over the next 11 points with three straight kills. Stewart later capped off the scoring and tied the set back up at 15-15.with an ace.
Still tied two points later, the Jags retook the lead for good as they pushed across three more points. From there, USA would go on to take the set, 25-20.
Stewart posted her best offensive set-performance in the second set, finishing with six kills on eight attacks with no errors for a .750. USA once again was solid on the offensive side of the net, hitting a .444.
After hitting a .097 in the opening set, JU seemed to find its offensive rhythm and bounced back with a .350 in the second set.
SET THREE: South Alabama 25, Jacksonville 10
Holding a 2-0 lead in the match, South Alabama took control from the opening serve as the Jags pushed across the first three points of the third set to take the lead – a lead they would maintain the rest of the way.
Leading by four (8-4), USA broke the set open with a 16-4 run to take a 12-point lead (20-8).
The Dolphins again struggled offensively, committing seven attack errors in the set, while recording just five aces. South Alabama registered its best offensive showing in the final set, ending the third set with a .474 hitting percentage (12-3-19).
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: With the win, South Alabama is now 13-14-1 all-time against Jacksonville and 2-0 this season against teams from the Atlantic Sun Conference…With her 13 kills, Savannah Stewart has now recorded double-digit kill tallies in each of her last six matches and seven of her last eight…Entering play on Saturday, USA’s Jenna Hassell sits just nine kills shy of becoming the sixth Jaguar to eclipse the 1,000 career dig mark…With her two block assists, Lindsay Schwartz passed former Jag Ninette Enclade to move into ninth on USA total block career list...She has 242 for her career…Jaguar freshman Nikki Gittens made her collegiate debut late in the third set against JU…She recorded her first kill and block assist.
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