Matches 27 and 28 - at Western Kentucky - at Georgia State Match Notes (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama women's volleyball team will close out the 2013 regular season this weekend when the Jaguars travel to Sun Belt leader Western Kentucky and to Georgia State.  

USA will take on Toppers on Friday at 7 p.m. at E.A. Diddle Arena and then face the Panthers on Sunday at 11 a.m. (CT) at the GSU Sports Arena.  Live stats and video for both matches will be available at www.USAJaguars.com.  

The Jaguars (13-13, 8-8 SBC) come into play this week as one of the hotter teams in the Sun Belt.  South Alabama has now won six of its last seven matches and eight of its last 11.  The Jags are currently in a three-way tie with Louisiana-Lafayette and Texas-Arlington for the fourth in the conference.

Since the first part of the conference season, Hendrichovsky has seen a change in this Jaguar squad.

"I look back at our first week of conference play where we had five matches in eight days and we went 0-5," Hendrichovsky said.  "We did the same thing this past week, playing five matches in eight days and we went 4-1.  I definitely have seen some growth in our team and I was very happy with the focus out team brought last week."  

With their straight-set win over Louisiana-Monroe on Sunday, the Jags secured a berth in this year's conference tournament, the program's 17th overall and first since the 2010 season.  

After guiding USA to a perfect 3-0 record this past week, outside/opposite side hitter Mechell Daniel was selected as both the Sun Belt Conference Offensive and Freshman Player of the Week on Monday.  Daniel is the first person in league history to earn both honors in the same week.

Daniel posted a pair of double-doubles this past week, just narrowly missing her third versus Troy.  Of her 12 double-doubles this season, 11 have come against Sun Belt competition.  The Chelmsford, England native had 54 kills and averaged 4.91 kills per set in South Alabama's three matches and hit .274.  Daniel also averaged 5.27 points per set and 2.73 digs.

She currently ranks third in the league in kills (3.83) and points (4.36), and is tied for sixth in service aces (0.25).

Lewis – also a three-time SBC Freshman of the Week honoree this season – is close behind Daniel as she is tied for sixth in both kills (3.31) and points (3.63).

Junior middle blocker Amber Wyatt has also played well at the net for the Jaguars this season.  She has 96 total blocks – 10 solo and 86 assists – and ranks third in the conference with 1.20 bps.

Western Kentucky enters play this week with a 24-5 overall record and a 14-1 mark in the Sun Belt.  Coming into their match versus the Jaguars, the Toppers have won 18 of their last 19 matches.  WKU's lone league loss came on the road at Louisiana-Lafayette in five sets.  

"Western Kentucky is a very good team," Hendrichovsky said.  "They are obviously number one in our conference.  I've been able to play against them the past few years in the Sun Belt.  They're always going to be a very good passing team, have an efficient attack and be balanced.  The keys to being successful against them is that you have to play the same.  You have to pass well, you have to have an efficient attack and it just comes down to who makes the plays at the end."

The Toppers - who are receiving votes in this week's AVCA poll - hold a two-match lead in the conference and will host Georgia State on Wednesday before hosting the Jags.  

WKU has used a balanced offensive attack throughout the season as four players are averaging 2.78 kills per set or better.  Noelle Langenkamp paces the squad with 2.94 kills per set.  The other three Toppers are close behind her as Haley Bodway is averaging 2.84 kps.  Heather Boyan is averaging 2.82 kps and Paige Wessel is at 2.78 kps.  

The trio of Wessel (.431), Langenkamp (.410) and Boyan (.405) rank in the top three in the Sun Belt in hitting, while also ranking 12th, 20th and 25th in the NCAA in that same category.  

As a team, Western Kentucky leads the league and is fifth in the most recent national rankings in hitting percentage at .313.  WKU also leads the SBC in kills (14.41) and assists (13.6), while ranking 16th and 14th, respectively in those same categories.  

Topper setter Melanie Stutsman is 12th in the NCAA in assists with 11.66 per set.  The senior also leads the conference in service aces with 0.37 per set.  

Georgia State enters play this week with a 9-20 overall record and a 4-11 mark in the Sun Belt.  After winning four-straight league games, the Panthers have lost their last three matches, falling in four sets to Texas State, Arkansas-Little Rock and Arkansas State.

"Georgia State got on a little run a couple of weeks ago just like us and started finding some momentum," Hendrichovsky said.  "They're a team that's fighting for its life to get in the tournament right now, so I expect to play a very focused team over there that's going to have some determination and be a good test for us moving into the conference tournament."

Coming into play this week, GSU sits two games in the win column behind Troy for the eighth and final spot in this year's league championship.

Dede Bohannon leads the Panthers on the offensive side of the net as she is averaging 3.35 kills, which ranks fifth the league in that category.  Bohannon has 355 kills this season and is fifth in the conference in points with 3.67 per set.

Sophomore middle blocker Eliza Zachary is averaging 2.55 kps.  She leads the team with a .267 hitting percentage.  Andrea Ezell paces the club defensively at the net with 98 blocks (0.89).

Led by the play of Emily Averbeck, Georgia State is third in the conference in digs with 15.58 per set.  The senior libero is second in that category individually with 4.75 per set.

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 meeting this weekend will mark the 49th between Western Kentucky and South Alabama. WKU holds a 39-9 lead all-time series. Dating back to 1989, USA has dropped 36 of the previous 37 meetings, including the last 27.  All but one of those in straight sets, including a 3-0 loss earlier this season to the Toppers in Mobile. The last time the Jaguars took a set off WKU was a 3-2 loss in Mobile back during the 1999 season.  South Alabama's last win versus the Lady Toppers came back during the 1995 season when USA captured a 3-1 victory in Mobile. USA is 2-17 all-time in the series in Bowling Green, having lost 15-straight there to the Toppers, including 14-straight in straight sets.  South Alabama's last win in Bowling Green versus WKU came back during the 1988 season and the last time the Jags won a set in the series on the road was during the 1992 season in a five-set loss.  The meeting between Georgia State and South Alabama this weekend will mark the fifth in the all-time series between the two clubs. USA holds a 3-1 advantage in the all-time series.  South Alabama head coach Amy Hendrichovsky is 2-0 versus GSU, picking up a 3-0 win over the Panthers this season in Mobile and a 3-2 win in Atlanta last season.

—USA—