Box Score - Appalachian State 3, South Alabama 1 (.pdf)

BOONE, N.C. – Mallory Moore led the University of South Alabama volleyball team with 14 kills and hit .480 in the match versus Appalachian State Friday night, but it wasn't enough as the Jaguars fell 3-1 (21-25, 25-23, 20-25, 23-25) to the Mountaineers at the Holmes.  

We just couldn't string together enough points tonight," South Alabama head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said.  "We did fight back in three of the four sets, but starting strong is a big part of the game.  If we start strong (in those sets), it's a different match.  Right now we're just fighting ourselves physically and mentally.  When we figure it out, we'll be pretty good, but we need to figure it out soon."

The 14 kills were a season-best for Moore.  Also finishing in double digits for the Jaguars were Nikki Gittens with a career-high 13 kills and a .380 hitting percentage.  Mechell Daniel posted her sixth double-double of the season and 20th of her career with 13 kills and 11 digs.  Junior setter Emily Hundt also finished the night with her fifth double-double of the season, recording 24 assists and 10 digs.

Abby Baker led all players with a match-high 19 digs, while Jenna Hassell chipped in with 13 digs of her own.  USA held an 83-68 advantage in the dig category on the night and also out hit App State .236-.220 in the match. The 83 digs were the second-most by the club in a match this season.

 "We had some people that came ready to play tonight," Hendrichovsky said.  "I thought Mallory (Moore) had a good night for us.  I also thought that Nikki (Gittens), Mechell (Daniel) and our passers on defense did a nice job, but it's a team sport.  You can't just rely on two people.  Ultimately everyone on the court matters."

The Jags (7-8, 2-3 SBC) will continue on the road and take on Georgia State on Saturday at 5 p.m. (CT) at the GSU Sports Arena. Live stats and web streaming for the match versus the Panthers will be available at www.USAJaguars.com and can be accessed on the Jaguar volleyball schedule page.

Appalachian State improved to 14-2 overall and 4-2 in Sun Belt play with the four-set win.  Emily Corrigan led all players with 18 kills for the Mountaineers, while also adding 13 digs and three block assists.  Lauren Gray and Jess Keller each chipped in with 12 kills apiece.  Gray also hit .370 in the match and recorded a match-high five block assists.

ASU junior setter Paige Brown – who entered play this week leading the nation in assists per set – had 46 assists in the match to go along with her 12 digs.

SET ONE: APPALACHIAN STATE 25, SOUTH ALABAMA 21
With the first set tied at 8-8, South Alabama reeled off four straight points and took a 12-8 lead when Baker dropped in a kill.  Moore began the scoring for the Jaguars with a pair of kills.  The sophomore would record six in the opening set.  Appalachian State responded quickly with four unanswered points of its own and tied the set up at 12-12 on block assists by Hailey Kerr, Corrigan and Sloan Evans.  

The two clubs traded points over the next several points and the Mountaineers took their first lead of the night at 15-14 following block assists from Jess Keller and Lauren Gray and another USA attack error.

With Appalachian State holding a one-point advantage (19-18) later in the set, the home team pulled away and pushed across five of the next seven points to hold set-point at 24-20.  Evans sealed the win for ASU two points later with her third kill of the frame.  Corrigan led the Mountaineers with five first-set put aways.

Baker was solid in the defensive back court for the Jags as she had 10 kills in the opening set.
 
SET TWO: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, APPALACHIAN STATE 23
USA grabbed the first point of the second set on an ace from Hassell, but the Mountaineers came right back with four points of their own and took a three-point lead on a solo block by Keller.

South Alabama trimmed the deficit to two on two occasions over the next several points, the last coming at 10-8 after kills by Gittens and Jessica Lewis, but Appalachian State retook control with five unanswered points to extend its lead out to seven (15-8).  Gray led the charge for ASU with three kills.

Appalachian State looked as if it were going to control the match from there, but trailing 17-10, the Jaguars came storming back and rattled off 10 of the next 12 points.  Gittens tied the set back up at 19-19 with another kill and USA then retook the lead on the next point following a Mountaineer attack error.  Gittens recorded two more kills and teamed up with Moore on a block during the run.  

The Jags later gained a two-point advantage at 23-21 after a block assists from Symone Stephenson and Moore and four points later, Daniel evened the match and gave South Alabama the 25-23 second-set victory with a kill.

SET THREE: APPALACHIAN STATE 25, SOUTH ALABAMA 20
With the third set tied 5-5, the Mountaineers broke things open with an 11-1 run over the next 12 points and took control.  Keller sparked the scoring for App State as she had three kills during the run.  Olivia Reed capped things off and put ASU up 16-6 with an ace.

Still trailing by double figures (23-12), the Jaguars made a late charge, using a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to 23-18.  True freshman Kolby Meeks led the rally attempt with a pair of kills and a block assists.

That was as close as USA would get though as the Mountaineers went on to pick up the third-set win (25-20) on Grey's seventh kill of the match.

SET FOUR: APPALACHIAN STATE 25, SOUTH ALABAMA 23
In the fourth set, South Alabama held a 6-4 lead early on following a kill by Gittens, but on the ensuing point, Gray led a 6-1 scoring spurt to put App State back out in front.  Gray had three kills during the run.  

The Jaguars battled back and knotted the frame back up at 12-12 after a kill by Moore and a Mountaineer attack error, but once again, Appalachian State would answer back quickly as it ran off seven of the next nine points to retake the lead at 18-14.  This time it was Keller who led the charge as she had three kills of her own during the run.

Like the second set, USA made a late offensive charge after trailing by six.  Appalachian State held a 21-15 advantage following a kill by Gray, but over the next nine points, the Jaguars would fight back and tie the contest up on a block assists by Daniel and Hundt and then retake the lead (23-22) on Moore's 14th kill of the match.

However, Corrigan tied the set back up on the next point with a kill and with ASU holding match-point, the junior outside hitter then dropped in an ace to clinch the 25-23 fourth-set win and give the Mountaineers the 3-1 match victory.

NOTES: The match versus the Mountaineers on Friday night was the first-ever versus South Alabama.  The 14 kills by Mallory Moore versus were a new season-best.  Nikki Gittens also ended the night with a career-high 13 kills.  Mechell Daniel posted her sixth double-double of the season and 20th of her career with 12 kills and 12 digs and junior setter Emily Hundt had her fifth double-double of the season, recording 23 assists and 10 digs.  USA held an 82-67 advantage in the dig category on the night and also out hit App State .232-.221 in the match. The 82 digs were the second-most by the club in a match 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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