Box Score - South Alabama 3, Arkansas State 0 (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – After falling in five sets to Arkansas State earlier this season, the University of South Alabama women's volleyball team avenged itself Friday night as the Jaguars picked up a 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-21) Sun Belt Conference victory over the Red Wolves at Jag Gym.

"When we played (Arkansas State) earlier, we were a team that was just trying to hold ourselves together," South Alabama head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said.  "We were still in the process of growing and learning, but since we last played them, we've grown a ton and we're starting to really apply the things we've been talking about.  Right now, I think that we are a team that is on the rise.  We're continuing to learn how to play together and compete."

USA (10-12, 5-7 SBC) will now travel to take on Arkansas-Little Rock on Sunday at 1 p.m.  First serve versus the Trojans is set for 1 p.m. at the Jack Stephens Center.  Live stats and video will be available at www.USAJaguars.com.  

With the win, the Jags have now won three-straight and five of their last seven matches.

South Alabama used a balanced offensive attack in the win as Jessica Lewis and Mechell Daniel each recorded 11 kills apiece.  Symone Stephenson and Mallory Moore also just missed double figures with nine kills each.  

"I give a lot of credit to our passers and our defense tonight," Hendrichovsky said of the balanced attack.  "Anytime you're able to keep it balanced, it's based on first contact.  Our first contact was pretty solid tonight and enabled us to control the pass.

Moore hit a team-best .412 for the Jags.  Daniel posted her ninth double-double of the season with a 13-dig effort.  Eight of her nine double-doubles have come against league competition.  The Chelmsford, England, native also hit .321 in the match.

The big stat category of the night was at the net where USA had 20 block assists, compared to just four for the Red Wolves.  

"We've been a pretty good blocking team in conference play," Hendrichovsky said.  "It kind of digressed for a stretch, but we focused on it this week in practice and it's a big part of our game.  It helps us put pressure on the other team's offense."

Stephenson led the way with seven, while four other players finished with three block assists each.

Arkansas State fell to 11-16 overall and 6-6 in the Sun Belt with the loss.  The Red Wolves have now lost four of their last five matches, including three-straight in straight sets.  

ASU was led by Kelsey Reis' 10 kills.  Reis also hit .667 in the match, not committing an attack error in her 15 attempts.  Kelsey Sullivan chipped in with seven kills of her own.  Senior libero Megan Baska led all players with 16 digs.

SET ONE: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, ARKANSAS STATE 20
The first set was close throughout much of the frame.  With Arkansas State holding a two-point advantage (18-16), the Jaguars erupted on a 7-1 run over the next eight points to take the lead for good.  Daniel began the run with a kill and later capped off the scoring for USA with another.  Of USA's seven points, Daniel was responsible for four of them – all kills.  

After trading service errors, South Alabama took the early match lead as the Jaguars won the set, 25-20 on kill from Lewis, her third of the match.

South Alabama came out strong as it posted a .301 hitting percentage in the opening set, recording 15 kills on 36 attacks and committing just four attack errors.  Daniel led all players with six kills in the frame.  

SET TWO: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, ARKANSAS STATE 21
ASU came out and grabbed the first three points of the second set, but the Jaguars responded right back with eight of the next 10 points to take the lead.  Stephenson led the way for USA during the run as the freshman middle blocker recorded a pair of kills and three block assists.

The Red Wolves answered with a run of their own to retake the lead though.  Reis and Jackie Gerig teamed up for a block of their own to ignite a string of four-straight ASU points.  

With the visitors holding a 15-13 advantage later in the frame, USA's offense caught fire and reeled off five unanswered points.  Daniel began the run with a kill.  Stephenson and Lewis then added two kills apiece during the scoring spurt.

USA looked in control, but ASU kept battling back and retook the lead, 21-20 after back-to-back kills from Kelsey Sullivan, but the lead was short lived as the Red Wolves committed a ball-handling error on the ensuing rally.  After a pair of Arkansas State attack errors, South Alabama closed out the set with block assists from Daniel and Amber Wyatt and then took the set (25-21) on a kill from Moore.

For the second-consecutive set, the Jaguars hit over .300, as they had 14 kills, four errors, 27 attacks in the set for a .370 hitting percentage.  USA also had 10 of its 20 block assists in the second set.

SET THREE: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, ARKANSAS STATE 21
Trailing 2-0 in the match, Arkansas State got off to a quick start in the third set, picking up seven of the first nine points.  Sarah Kemp led ASU with three kills during the run.

Later in the set with ASU holding a 10-4 advantage, the Jaguars rallied back and took a two-point lead.  Lewis blasted a kill to ignite an 8-0 run for the Jaguars.  The freshman outside hitter later capped off the run and put USA out in front, 12-10, with another kill.  USA also received kills from Moore, Wyatt and Daniel during the run and an ace from Emily Hundt.

The Red Wolves hung around over the next several points, but USA never allowed Arkansas State to get within three points the rest of the way.  The Jags eventually led by as much as five (24-19) after a block assists from Stephenson and Kiki von Piekartz.  ASU picked up the next two points, but Stephenson clinched the match and gave USA the 25-21 third-set victory with a kill.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

NOTES:  The win for South Alabama over Arkansas State was just the fourth over the Red Wolves in 28 meetings.  The victory is the first since a 3-2 win during the 2010 season in Mobile.  Three of USA's wins in the series have come at home.  With her 11 kills and 13 digs, USA's Mechell Daniel now has nine double-doubles on the season and eight against Sun Belt foes.

—USA—