Box Score - Arkansas-Little Rock 3, South Alabama 1 (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball dropped it third-straight match Sunday afternoon as the Jaguars fell 3-1 (22-25, 25-22, 15-25, 13-25) to Sun Belt Conference leader Arkansas-Little Rock at Jag Gym in its annual "Dig Pink: match.

The Jags (9-11, 4-6 SBC) will next open up a three-match road trip on Friday night versus Louisiana-Monroe.  First serve versus the Warhawks is set for 6 p.m. at the ULM Activity Center.

Mechell Daniel led South Alabama with 14 kills and also added nine digs, while Deanna Canfield finished one kill shy of tying a career high with 13 kills off the bench.  Jenna Hassell paced the club with 16 digs in the loss.

The win for UALR (17-4, 11-0 SBC) was its 12-straight.  During the current win streak, the Trojans have dropped just six sets.

The all-conference duo of Sonja Milanovic and Edina Begic led the club offensively in the win.  Milanovic posted a match-high 17 kills and hit .417, and also added 15 digs and five total blocks, while Begic chipped in with 14 kills of her own.

Arkansas-Little Rock entered the match leading the Sun Belt and ranked 13th nationally in blocks and the Trojan frontline was key in the victory.  UALR finished the match with a solo block and 26 block assists for 14.0 total team blocks.  Edina Selimovic led all players with eight block assists, while Carolee Dillard and Milanovic each had five blocks.

The 26 block assists by Arkansas-Little Rock were the most by an opponent this season, eclipsing the previous mark of 24 set by Nevada.  

South Alabama managed to hit just .065 in the match, while UALR ended the match with a .272 hitting percentage.  The Trojans lead the Sun Belt in hitting and rank second in opponent's hitting percentage.

The .065 hitting percentage by the Jaguars was the second-lowest this season for the club.

SET ONE: ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK 25, SOUTH ALABAMA 22
South Alabama rallied back from a pair of three-point deficits during the first half of the opening set and kept things close.   

The Jags later trimmed their deficit to 17-16 after a block assist from Mallory Moore, Nikki Gittens and Canfield, the Trojans reclaimed control as they answered back with 7-3 run over the next 10 points to hold set-point at 24-19. Milanovic led the charge during the Trojan run as she posted four of her six first-set kills and a block during the scoring spurt.  

USA attempted to rally late as the Jags fought off three-straight set points, the last two on kills by Kolby Meeks and Symone Stephenson to cut the deficit to 24-22 and force a Trojan time out.  However, coming out of the time out, Begic sealed the 25-22 win for Arkansas-Little Rock as she posted her sixth kill of the match.

Canfield led South Alabama in the opening frame with five kills.

SET TWO: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK 22
Led by Daniel, the Jaguars opened up the second set on fire as they captured six of the first seven points.  Daniel recorded three of USA's points during that stretch.  South Alabama eventually extended its lead out to as much as seven on a couple of occasions, the last coming at 14-7 following a Trojan attack error.

Adisa Hozic and Dillard quickly helped UALR battle back and narrow South Alabama's lead to 15-13.  The duo each had a kill and capped off the run with back-to-back block assists.

USA pushed its lead back out to four over the next four points, but Arkansas-Little Rock hang around and trimmed the deficit to 19-18 on an ace by Milanovic.  Milanovic recorded all four of UALR's points during the spurt with three kills to go along with the ace.

South Alabama didn't allow the Trojans to tie the set up though and led 23-20 after another kill by Canfield.  UALR picked up the next two points to again cut the Jag lead to one, but coming out of a time, Canfield, slammed home her eighth kill of the afternoon and USA then took the set, 25-22, after a bad set by the Trojans.

SET THREE: ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK 25, SOUTH ALABAMA 15
Riding the momentum of tying up the match, South Alabama picked up the first three points of the third set and seven of the first 10 to take the early lead.

UALR quickly tied the set back up at 8-8 and later took its first lead of the frame at 13-12 after a kill from Mathis.  Moore and Canfield picked up the next two points for the Jags with back-to-back kills to give USA a 14-13 advantage.

However, the Trojans would close strong as they ended the set on an 11-1 run to take the frame, 25-15.  Milanovic once again provided much of the scoring for Arkansas-Little Rock ass he had three kills and an ace.  USA then committed five straight attack errors to end the set.

Hitting percentage was the key stat category in the third set as UALR had 12 kills and just two attack errors and hit .385.  South Alabama finished the frame with nine attack errors and a .026 hitting percentage.

SET FOUR: ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK 25, SOUTH ALABAMA 13
Leading two sets to one in the match, UALR grabbed control early in the fourth and final set, beginning the frame on a 9-1 run.  The Trojans later extended their lead out to double digits (14-14) following a kill by Begic.

USA got as close as seven late in the set, but UALR eventually went on to take the match and the set with the 25-13 victory.

UALR registered 10 block assists in the final frame and held USA to a .000 hitting percentage, while posting a .423 percentage.

NOTES: The match versus UALR was the Jaguars "Dig Pink" match.  South Alabama falls to 3-26 in the all-time series versus the Trojans with the loss and 1-14 on its home floor.  The 13 kills by Deanna Canfield were a season-high and finished one kill shy of tying a career high for the Jag junior.  South Alabama's second-leading scorer Jessica Lewis did not play in the match due to illness.  The 26 block assists by Arkansas-Little Rock were the most by an opponent this season, eclipsing the previous mark of 24 set by Nevada.  The .065 hitting percentage by the Jaguars was the second-lowest this season for the club.

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).

—USA—