Match Notes - Match 20: vs. Arkansas-Little Rock (.pdf)MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team will host Sun Belt Conference leader Arkansas-Little Rock on Sunday at Jag Gym in its annual "Dig Pink: match with first serve versus the Trojans set for noon.
Dig Pink® is the name of the Side-Out Foundation's national October breast cancer rally. A Dig Pink® event can be organized at the local, county, city or state level, and it is supported by college and middle/high school volleyball coaches and teams as well as club coaches and teams. All proceeds benefit the Side-Out Foundation, which in turn awards grants to medical research organizations and entities dedicated to providing patient services to breast cancer patients and their families.
Live stats and web streaming for the match versus UALR will be available at www.USAJaguars.com and can be accessed on the Jaguar volleyball schedule page.
South Alabama (9-10, 4-5 SBC) enters Sunday's match after falling to both Texas-Arlington and Georgia Southern at home over the weekend. After playing three matches last week, the match versus the Trojans will be the only for the Jags this week.
Mechell Daniel leads the team and is tied for sixth in the conference in kills with 3.28 per set. She also ranks second on the team in digs with 2.41 per set. This past week, Daniel averaged 4.20 kps. The sophomore outside hitter has seven double-doubles on the year.
Fellow sophomore Jessica Lewis is right behind Daniel and is tied for ninth in the Sun Belt with 3.13 kills per set.
Sophomore libero Abby Baker has been solid in the defensive back court for the Jaguars this season. She is averaging 4.21 digs per set coming into play this week, which ranks sixth in the Sun Belt. Last week, Baker had 29 digs at Troy, which were the most ever by a Jag in a three-set match.
One key stat for South Alabama in its nine wins has been in the serving department. In those matches, the Jags have held a 50-27 advantage in service aces and are averaging 1.52 per set, compared to just 0.82 by the opposition. In its losses, USA's opponents hold a 62-31 advantage in that same area and are averaging 1.82 aces per set, compared to the Jaguars' 0.91.
Arkansas-Little Rock (14-4, 8-0 SBC) come into action this week as the Sun Belt Conference leader. The Trojans also enter play riding a nine-match win streak. During its current win streak, UALR has only dropped four sets and won five of those nine outings in straight-sets.
"UALR is playing really well right now," South Alabama head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said. "They have a more balanced attack this season and multiple offensive weapons, including two solid outside hitters that lead our conference. In order for us to compete, we will need to do the same. We will need to have an efficient offensive attack and along with that find ways to make plays at the end."
UALR is 10-4 away from the Jack Stephens Center and are 4-0 in SBC matches.
Offensively, Arkansas-Little Rock is led by preseason player of the year Ednia Begic. Begic currently ranks second in kills (4.47 kps), eighth in hitting (.312) and leads the league and is 10th in the NCAA in aces with 32 and 0.53 per set. As a team, UALR is second in the conference in that same category with 1.51 per set.
Begic has been selected as the SBC Offensive Player of the Week for each of the past four weeks.
Fellow outside hitter Sonja Milanovic has also been outstanding on the offensive side of the net for the Trojans during the 2014 season. Milanovic is sixth in kills (3.28) and ranks second on the team in digs with 3.33 per set.
"Begic and Milanovic are successful because they both have experience, confidence and see the court well as an attacker." Hendrichivsky.
The Trojans are one of the top defensive clubs in the Sun Belt and the nation at the net. Entering play this week, UALR leads the conference and ranks 12th in the NCAA in blocks (2.89). Middle blocker Carolee Dillard leads the SBC with 1.31 blocks per set, while Edina Selimovic is third with 1.18 per set. Led by the play of Dillard and Selimovic, Arkansas-Little Rock is also holding its opponents to a .164 hitting percentage - second-best in the league.
UALR is also the top hitting club in the conference as its .282 attack percentage is .028 better than the next closest team. The Trojans hitting percentage is 15th in the NCAA. Selimovic is sixth individually in that same category with a ,359 percentage. Begic is hitting .312.
Arkansas-Little Rock will host Arkansas State on Wednesday and then travel to Troy before heading to Mobile.
NOTES: The match versus the Trojans on Sunday will mark the 29th in the all-time series versus the Jaguars. Arkansas-Little Rock holds a 25-3 lead in the series. UALR has won four-straight in the series with USA's last win over the Trojans coming back during the 2010 season when the Jags won 3-2 in Mobile. That victory is the only one for South Alabama in the series in matches in Mobile. USA is just 1-13 on its home floor.
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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