Box Score - Texas-Arlington 3, South Alabama 0 (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – Mechell Daniel recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 13 kills and 11 digs, but it wasn't enough as the University of South Alabama volleyball team fell 3-0 (19-25, 24-26, 20-25) to Texas-Arlington on Friday night at Jag Gym.

The Jags (9-9, 4-4 SBC)) will now take on first-year Sun Belt member Georgia Southern on Saturday night at Jag Gym at 6 p.m.  Live stats and web streaming for the match versus the Eagles will be available at www.USAJaguars.com and can be accessed on the Jaguar volleyball schedule page.

Along with her double-double, Daniel also hit .400 in the match and had two block assists.  Jessica Lewis was the only other Jag to end the night in double digits as she had 10 kills.  Symone Stephenson just missed double figures with her second-straight match of nine kills.  Nikki Gittens also chipped in with eight kills of her own.  The middle blocking duo for South Alabama also had two block assists apiece.  Abby Baker had 12 digs.

One key stat in the match was in the serving column.  USA had just one ace and committed eight serving errors.  The Jags also committed 20 attack errors and hit .191 compared to UTA's .259 percentage.

"I think we played a little tight (tonight) and made some unforced errors that cost us in all three sets," South Alabama head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said.  "Kudos to (Texas-Arlington).  I thought they played really well.  They were difficult to defend tonight.  Tonight was a high-level volleyball match.  Both sides executed pretty well.  Both sides passed pretty well.  It wasn't like it was an ugly match.  We're right there.  We just have to get our team to believe and make those plays at the end.  We could play (UTA) tomorrow night and it could be a different outcome."

The Mavericks improved to 15-5 on the year and 5-2 in the league.  Taylor Gross paced the offense with nine kills, while Qiana Canete and Briana Sharratt each had eight kills.  Sharatt also hit .467 in the match and posted five of Texas-Arlington's 14 block assists.

Caitlyn Cooney led all players on the night with 18 digs, while Canete also registered 11 digs of her own.

SET ONE: TEXAS-ARLINGTON 25, SOUTH ALABAMA 19
With UTA holding a one-point advantage (10-9), the Mavericks used a 4-1 scoring spurt to gain some breathing room.  Taylor Story capped off the mini run and gave Texas-Arlington a 14-10 lead with a kill.  USA aided the Maverick run by committing three of their eight first set attack errors during that stretch.

UTA held control for the remainder of the set, eventually leading by as much as seven before picking up the 25-19 win on Canete's third kill of the frame.

Stephenson led USA with four kills and hit .571 in the first frame, while Daniel and Gittens each had three kills.  Gross led the Mavericks with four kills and hit .500.  Sharatt had three of Texas-Arlington's six block assists in the opening set.

SET TWO: TEXAS-ARLINGTON 26, SOUTH ALABAMA 24
The Mavericks used another brief run early on in the second set to gain control.  Tied at 3-3, Texas-Arlington rattled off six of the next seven points and took a 9-4 lead after a kill by Ashley Bennett.  

The Jaguars momentarily regained momentum after kills from Daniel and Gittens, but UTA answered back by picking up four of the next five points to extend its lead back out to seven (14-7).

Texas-Arlington remained in control over the next several points, but coming out of a time out trailing 21-15, USA began to fight back and reeled off a 9-1 run.  Emily Hundt capped off the Jaguar run and gave USA a 24-22 lead when the junior setter's serve was unable to be controlled by UTA.  The Mavericks – who had committed just six attack errors up until that point – committed five during the South Alabama run.   

Holding set-point over the next two points though, South Alabama committed a serving and an attack error to tie the match back up at 24-24.  Sharratt then recorded her fourth kill of the frame and USA then posted another attack error to end the set and give Texas-Arlington the 26-24 win.

SET THREE: TEXAS-ARLINGTON 25, SOUTH ALABAMA 20
In the third and final set, Texas-Arlington got off to a quick start, jumping out to a 7-2 early lead.  Cooney gave the Mavericks the five-point advantage with an ace.

UTA led comfortably for much of the remainder of the set, but led by Daniel – who had six kills in the final frame – South Alabama attempted to make a late rally.  Daniel cut the deficit to 17-14 on her fifth kill of the set.  USA then narrowed the UTA lead to two on two occasions, the last coming at 20-18 following a Stephenson put away.  

That would be as close as UTA would let the Jags get though as the Mavericks closed out the set by picking up five of the final seven points.  Canete clinched the match and the 25-20 third-set victory with a kill.
    
NOTES:  Prior to the match, South Alabama's Mechell Daniel honored as the Outstanding Female International Student-Athlete of the Year by the Office of International Student Services and Admissions.  The award is given to an international student for having a positive impact on the university's international community.  Friday night's match was just the fifth in the all-time series between South Alabama and Texas-Arlington.  UTA now holds a 4-1 advantage in the series and is 1-1 in matches played in Mobile.  Daniel posted her seventh double-double of the season against the Mavericks with 13 kills and 11 digs.  The eight serving errors by USA tied for second-most this season.

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).

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