Box Score - South Alabma 3, Jackson State 0 (.pdf)
JACKSON, Miss. – Behind Mechell Daniel's 20 kills Tuesday night, the University of South Alabama women's volleyball team picked up a 3-0 victory over Jackson State at T.B. Ellis Gymnasium.
Daniel was outstanding in the victory, recording eight digs and a .421 hitting percentage to go along with her career-high 20-kill effort. The 20 kills were also the most by a Jag ever in a three-set match, eclipsing the previous mark of 19 set by Jenna Swilley at Southern back on Nov. 6, 2007.
"At this time of the season, we are working on improving each time we step on the floor," South Alabama head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said. "After the team relaxed and forgot about the environment, we were able to take care of our side. Mechell finished with a great performance and has developed a lot in the last couple of weeks."
USA (5-5) will now travel to Fayetteville, Ark., this weekend to compete at the Razorback Invitational, hosted by Arkansas. The Jaguars will open up tournament play on Friday when they take on Saint Louis at 4:30 p.m.
Sophomore middle blocker Nikki Gittens also finished in double digits for the Jags with 10 kills and a .474 attack percentage. Abby Baker led the club with nine digs, while Amber Wyatt had a team-high four block assists.
As a team, South Alabama posted a .330 hitting percentage with 47 kills on 97 attacks and just 15 attack errors.
Jackson State (1-11) was paced by Paige Williams 10 kills and .467 attack percentage. Mikyala Rolle chipped in with seven put aways of her own.
SET ONE: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, JACKSON STATE 22
Jackson State came out and took advantage of the Jaguars' slow start and managed to lead by as much as three through the first half of the set. USA battled back though and with the Tigers holding a one-point advantage (13-12), the Jaguars were able to push across four-straight points to take the lead for good. Gittens led the run with three kills over the four-point stretch.
JSU didn't allow the South Alabama lead to grow much from there as the Tigers trimmed their deficit to two, twice down the stretch, but Daniel finally sealed the win for USA with her sixth kill of the frame.
USA out-hit JSU in the opening frame .276 - .100.
SET TWO: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, JACKSON STATE 19
In the second set, Jackson State once again held the early lead at 7-6 after a kill from Rolle, but like the first set, USA would go on to reel off a string of points, this one a run of six unanswered to take the lead for good in the frame. A JSU serving error began the scoring for South Alabama and Mallory Moore capped it off with a kill of her own to give the Jags a 12-6 advantage.
The Tigers battled back and trimmed the Jaguar lead to two (13-11) after back-to-back attack errors from USA, but that was as close as JSU would get as USA quickly extended the lead back out to 20-13. Daniel added two more kills during the scoring spurt.
The Jaguar defense later clinched the 25-19 second set victory was Gittens and Wyatt teamed up to turn back a Tiger attack.
Daniel (USA) and Williams (JSU) each had five kills each for their respective clubs during the set.
SET THREE: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, JACKSON STATE 16
In the third and final set, Williams pulled JSU to within one (10-9) with another kill, but following the Tiger put away, USA took 10 of the next 12 points to break the game open. Daniel had three of her nine kills in the set during the run and Caitlin Cox capped off the run with a service ace.
Daniel was nearly perfect from the floor in the third set, recording her nine kills on 12 attempts with no errors for a .750 attack percentage. As a team, South Alabama posted its best hitting percentage of the night with a .433 (17-4-30). Jag setter Emily Hundt had 15 of her 36 assists in the final set.
Daniel clinched the match as another one of her attacks found the bottom of the floor to give USA a 25-16 win.
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 Jackson State, South Alabama improved to 11-2 in the all-time series and is now 55-8 all-time against opponents from the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The 20 kills by Mechell Daniel was a new career-best for the freshman. The 20 kills were also the most by a Jag ever in a three-set match, eclipsing the previous mark of 19 set by Jenna Swilley at Southern back on Nov. 6, 2007. The .330 attack percentage by South Alabama versus Jackson State was a new season-best for the program, besting the previous mark of .319 set in the season-opener versus Tennessee State.
—USA—
