Box Score - South Alabama 3, Tennessee-Martin 1 (.pdf)
Box Score - South Alabama 3, Nicholls State 1 (.pdf)
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Freshman hitter Mechell Daniel registered 37 kills, 24 digs and five aces Friday as the University of South Alabama women's volleyball team picked up a pair of 3-1 victories – Tennessee-Martin and Nicholls State – at the Hampton Inn Bama Bash hosted by Alabama at Foster Auditorium.
"I'm very proud of our team's performance today," South Alabama head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said. "We've had to face some adversity over the last week. Some teams rollover or just take a beating, but we really responded and had some players really step it up in both matches and perform ways we hadn't seen them perform yet this season.
"Mechell Daniel was one of them with her double-double (against Nicholls State). Nikki Gittens was another and I thought Emily (Hundt) did an outstanding job running the offense today."
USA (4-4) will face the Crimson Tide on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. Live and video for Saturday's match versus Alabama can be accessed at www.USAJaguars.com on the team's schedule page.
"Alabama is a solid team and they have some weapons that they're going to go to," Hendrichovsky said of Saturday's opponent. "We're going to have to find a way to slow some of them down and focus on our game. Right now, we're just trying to outwork people and take care of stuff on our side of the net."
MATCH ONE: SOUTH ALABAMA 3, TENNESSEE-MARTIN 1
South Alabama began Friday's action with a 3-1 (25-23, 25-13, 26-28, 25-14) victory over Tennessee-Martin.
The Jaguars were paced offensively by the duo of Daniel and Mallory Moore, who each registered career-best double-figure kill tallies versus the Skyhawks. Daniel had an outstanding all-around match and led all players with 18 kills and also added seven digs, three service aces and three block assists. Moore was just as solid recording 15 kills and a .300 hitting percentage.
Nikki Gittens and Symone Stephenson also chipped in with seven kills each, while Stephenson had six total blocks – one solo and five assists. Amber Wyatt had six kills in her first significant time on the court this season.
South Alabama held a huge advantage in the dig category with an 81-64 margin versus the Skyhawks. Freshman libero Abby Baker led the way with a career-high 20 digs, while Emily Hundt (17), Kelly Little (15) and Caitln Cox (11) – also new career-best for all three Jags – recorded double figures in that category, as well for USA.
The Jags were solid at the net defensively as they held an 8.0 (1 BS, 14 BS) to 3.0 (0 BS, 6 BA) at the net in blocks, marking the first time this season that they have out-blocked their opponents.
UTM (6-3) was paced by Allie Whimpey's 10 kills and Emily Keaton's nine. Chelsea Bowles led the defensive back court with 18 digs of her own.
SET ONE: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, TENNESSEE-MARTIN 23
In the opening set of the day, Tennessee-Martin came out strong, beginning the match by taking eight of the first 10 points. Keaton and Julia Devinney capped off the early Skyhawk run when the duo teamed up to turn back a Jaguar attack. South Alabama answered right back with six-straight points of its own and tied the contest up after an ace from Daniel.
Neither team was able to gain much of an advantage over the next several points, but tied at 13-13, USA managed to put together a small scoring run and take a four-point lead. Wyatt slammed home one of her three kills in the set to start the 5-1 run. The Jags then took the 18-14 lead after a bad UTM set.
Tennessee-Martin came right back and tied the contest up at 20-20 on a kill from Whimpey, but USA took the lead for good on the next point after an attack error from UTM.
Daniel later sealed the Jaguars' 25-23 first-set win with another kill. Daniel bookended the scoring for South Alabama in the set, scoring the club's first and last point of the frame.
SET TWO: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, TENNESSEE-MARTIN 13
Trailing by one (4-5) early in the second set, South Alabama took the lead and broke things open with a huge run. UTM's serving error tied the set up on the next point and ignited a 10-1 run for the Jags over the next 11 points. The big USA scoring run was highlighted by a string of eight unanswered points. Daniel had a pair of aces during the scoring spurt and Moore dropped in a pair of kills.
South Alabama went on to lead by as much as 12 on two occasions during the set. Stephenson and Daniel combined for a block assist to give USA a 24-12 advantage and two points later, Moore blasted her sixth kill of the frame to clinch the 25-13 set victory.
The Jaguar defense caused problems for the Skyhawks in the second stanza as Tennessee-Martin committed nine attack errors and hit a -.059.
SET THREE: TENNESSEE-MARTIN 28, SOUTH ALABAMA 26
Holding the 2-0 lead in the match, South Alabama began the third frame by grabbing five of the first six points and jumping out to a 7-2 advantage after a kill from Moore.
The Skyhawks continued to hang around and with USA holding a 10-5 lead after block assists from Stephenson and Wyatt, UTM began to chip away at the Jaguar lead.
UTM eventually tied the contest back up at 16-16 after back-to-back-to-back kills from Whimpey – who had six kills in the set.
The Skyhawks sat one point away from taking the frame at 24-23, but Daniel, who led USA with seven kills in the third set, sent the third stanza to extra points with a put away of her own. With the set tied 26-26 though, UTM was able to pick up the final two points and trim the match deficit to 2-1 after a kill from Devinney and a Jaguar attack error.
Tennessee-Martin bounced back to record a .279 hitting percentage (17 kills, five errors and 43 attacks) in the third set.
SET FOUR: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, TENNESSEE-MARTIN 14
After dropping its first set of the day, South Alabama responded right back and didn't let the Skyhawks hold on to the momentum for very long as the Jaguars took control from the outset in the fourth and final set. USA began the frame with four-straight points and took eight of the first 10 to grab the lead for good. Daniel led the Jaguar attack with three more kills. Hundt – who had 45 assists – capped off the scoring and put USA up six with an ace.
South Alabama later ended any hopes of a UTM rally as it reeled off six more unanswered points – four coming from the duo of Moore and Wyatt who each added two more kills. Moore increased USA's advantage to nine (15-6 with her third kill of the set. She would finish the frame with four and record a .571 hitting percentage on her nine attacks.
The Jags went on to take the set and the match with the 25-14 victory. USA held a huge advantage in the hitting category in the fourth set, recording 14 kills on 36 attacks, while committing just three errors for a .306 percentage. For the second time in the match, UTM posted a negative hitting percentage – five kills, six errors and 40 attacks for a -0.25.
MATCH TWO: SOUTH ALABAMA 3, NICHOLLS STATE 1
South Alabama won its second match of the day in the afternoon with another 3-1 victory, this one over Nicholls State (25-18, 25-12, 25-27, 25-19).
After setting a new career-best in kills versus UTM in the first match on Friday, Daniel posted 19 kills in the nightcap versus the Colonels. She also posted her first career double-double with 17 digs. Daniel's nine kills in the first set versus NSU was also the most of any Jag this season.
Gittens also carded a career-high 12 kills in the win and posted a .667 hitting percentage – which tied for fifth-best by a South Alabama player, by not committing an attack error in her 18 attempts. The mark by Gittens tied former Jag Juliana Almeida who did so back on Oct. 20, 2007 versus North Texas. Gittens was also a force on the defensive side of the net with six total blocks – one solo and five assists.
Stephenson and Moore also chipped in with eight kills each for USA and Hundt had 39 assists and 16 digs.
With the loss, Nicholls State dropped to 2-6 on the season and placed three players in double digits. Kayla Burling paced the club with 15 kills, while Kali Schwartz had 13 and Kayla Mashburn had 10.
Kalynn Egea led all players with 20 digs.
SET ONE: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, NICHOLLS STATE 18
Trailing by one early on in the first set versus the Colonels, the Jaguars erupted for an 11-3 run over the next 14 points to take the lead for good. Led by the play of Daniel, USA started the scoring with seven unanswered points, three of which coming from the freshman from Chelmsford, England.
Daniel ended the Jaguar run and gave South Alabama a 15-8 advantage with a kill. Over the first 15 points for USA, Daniel had six put aways.
Nicholls State attempted to come back and narrowed the deficit to four (18-14) following a kill from Burling, but Gittens and Daniel ended the threat with back-to-back kills for USA.
South Alabama went on to take the early lead in the match with the 25-18 first-set victory. The Jaguar attack was led by Daniel, who was outstanding with nine kills on 15 attacks and just one error for a .533 attack percentage. As a team, USA finished the frame with a .393 hitting percentage (15 kills, four errors and 28 attempts).
SET TWO: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, NICHOLLS STATE 12
The Jaguars took control of the second set from the outset, beginning the frame with a 5-1 run and taking nine of the first 12 points. USA opened up the set with an ace by Hundt. Gittens later capped off the run with a block assists with Wyatt and a kill – one of her four in the set – to put South Alabama up by six.
From there, Nicholls State was never able to threaten as the Jaguars eventually went on to lead by as much as 14 (23-9).
USA put the set away with another 7-0 run late in the frame. Gittens sparked the scoring spurt for the Jags as she had two kills, another block assists with Wyat,t and a solo block. The Jags took a 2-0 lead in the match with the 25-12 win.
Daniel led the offensive attack again with five more kills in the frame and USA nearly hit .300 for the second-consecutive set as they posted a .290 (11 kills, two errors, 31 assists).
SET THREE: NICHOLLS STATE 27, SOUTH ALABAMA 25
The Jaguars held a 9-7 lead in the third set, but the Colonels came right back and reeled off five-straight points and took a 12-9 lead after a kill by Burling. During the NSU run, Burling run had a pair of kills and a solo block. Kayla Mashburn also had a kill and an ace, Nicholls State's third of the set.
USA continued to battle back and eventually took a 16-15 lead after a kill from Mallory Moore. From there though, the set remained close the rest of the way and headed into extra points.
South Alabama sat one point away from set- and match- point (25-24) following another kill from Moore, but NSU was able to push across the final three points and pick up the 27-25 victory. Mashburn – who had four kills in the set – clinched the Colonel win with a put away.
SET FOUR: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, NICHOLLS STATE 19
In the fourth set, South Alabama broke a 5-5 tie and took the lead for good with an 8-3 run. Gittens – who had three kills in the set – ignited the run with a kill. Moore then finished off the scoring with back-to-back kills, giving USA the 13-8 lead.
South Alabama eventually extended its largest lead of the set out to eight (23-15) after a Colonel attack error. NSU made one late run, trimming the Jaguar advantage to 23-18 after a pair of aces from Burling, but Gittens sealed the USA win with her third 12th kill of the night.
After posting a .171 hitting percentage in the previous set, USA bounced back with a .345 percentage in the final set. USA had 11 kills in the fourth set and had just one attack error in 29 attempts.
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: With the win versus Tennessee-Martin, South Alabama improves to 2-1 in the all-time series and 10-6 versus Ohio Valley Conference members. USA is also 2-1 versus the league this season. The win also snapped a four-match losing streak for South Alabama. The 18 kills by Mechell Daniel versus UTM was a new career-high for the freshman. Fellow freshman Mallory Moore also set a new career mark with 15. South Alabama held a huge advantage in the dig category with an 81-64 margin versus the Skyhawks. Freshman libero Abby Baker led the way with a career-high 20 digs, while Emily Hundt (17), Kelly Little (15) and Caitln Cox (11) – also new career-best for all three Jags – recorded double figures in that category, as well for USA. The Jags were solid at the net defensively as they held an 8.0 (1 BS, 14 BS) to 3.0 (0 BS, 6 BA) at the net in blocks, marking the first time this season that they have out-blocked their opponents. With their win versus Nicholls State, the Jaguars moved to 19-14 in the all-time series and 49-98 versus Southland Conference opponents. After setting a new career-best in kills versus UTM in the first match on Friday, Daniel posted 19 kills in the nightcap versus the Colonels. She also posted her first career double-double with 17 digs. Daniel's nine kills in the first set versus NSU was also the most of any Jag this season. Nikki Gittens also carded a career-high 12 kills in the win and posted a .667 hitting percentage – which tied for fifth-best by a South Alabama player, by not committing an attack error in her 18 attempts. The mark by Gittens tied former Jag Juliana Almeida who did so back on Oct. 20, 2007 versus North Texas.
—USA—
