Box Score - South Alabama 3, Appalachian State 2 (.pdf)MOBILE, Ala. – Sophomore outside hitter Jessica Lewis returned to the Jaguar line up and led the club with 16 kills and a career-best .425 hitting percentage to help the University of South Alabama volleyball team snap a five-match skid Friday with a thrilling 3-2 (25-15, 19-25, 25-16, 17-25, 15-9) Sun Belt Conference victory over Appalachian State at Jag Gym.
"The main thing for us tonight is that we played as a team," South Alabama head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said. "I told them this week in practice that if they continued to play together as a team and trust each other that everything would then fall into place. I thought for three sets that we played really good volleyball. In the other two sets we didn't, but that's the game of volleyball. It's a game of momentum. If we can focus on what we did well in those three sets and continue to do that, we have a good team."
The win also ended a six-match losing streak at Jag Gym for USA.
As the Jaguars head into the final stretch of the regular season and try to earn a berth in this year's Sun Belt Conference tournament, wins like tonight's can be pivotal for a team.
"This was a huge win for us tonight," Lewis said. "We haven't really been on a winning streak much lately like some of the teams in our conference. App State is a great team and we knew that we just had to focus on us tonight and control ourselves. We did that today. In this win tonight, we really learned how to fight. We needed to go five games with a great team like Appalachian State to learn that. It's not going to be easy for us to get into the conference tournament, but this is a great start for us on that path."
The Jags (11-16, 6-11 SBC) will now travel to take on Sun Belt regular-season champ Arkansas-Little Rock on Sunday at noon at the Jack Stephens Center. Live stats and web streaming for the match at UALR will be available at www.USAJaguars.com and can be accessed on the Jaguar volleyball schedule page.
Along with Lewis, fellow sophomore Mechell Daniel also ended the match in double digits as she recorded her team-best 12th double-double of the season with a 13-kill, 12 dig performance. Nikki Gittens finished just outside double figures with nine kills and a career-high seven block assists.
"(Jessica Lewis) is a competitor and a very big piece to this puzzle on this team," Hendrichovsky said. "She's a leader for us and it was very refreshing that we had her on the court tonight. I thought we had some good offensive performances from multiple people throughout the match and that Emma (Anderson) ran a balanced offense."
Anderson had a solid all-around match as she ended the night with seven kills (career-high), 43 assists, seven digs and five block assists (career-high), while hitting .462.
Mallory Moore had eight kills, while Symone Stephenson chipped in with seven kills of her own and hit .462.
As a team, South Alabama registered a season-best 22 block assists for 11.0 total blocks – also a new season high for the team.
"About three weeks ago, we let our team know that we were second-to-last in the league in blocks and I think our middles took that to heart since they take pride in blocking," Hendrichovsky said. "They really got after it and over the course of the last few matches, we've been out-blocking our opponents. That's in large part due to Symone (Stephenson) and Nikki (Gittens) putting a focus on that part of the game. It's a big contribution to a team when you can on a hitter on the other side of the net and put some pressure on them."
Appalachian State (19-8, 9-8 SBC) was led offensively by Emily Corrigan and Jess Keller, who each carded a match-best 19 kills in the losing effort. Corrigan also added 12 digs to give her a double-double of the season. Lauren Gray had 11 kills of her own.
Paige Brown just missed a double-double of her own for the Mountaineers with 47 assists and nine digs.
For the first time this season, South Alabama led its opponent in kills (62-54), hitting percentage (.291-.235), assists (55-52) service aces (3-2), digs (63-59) and blocks (11.0-7.0). The match marked the first time USA has out-hit an opponent since its five-set win at Louisiana-Monroe on Oct. 24.
SET ONE: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, APPALACHIAN STATE 15South Alabama used a 7-1 run during the opening set to break a 6-6 tied and take the lead for good in the frame. Moore – who had four kills in the first set – began the run with a put away. USA later received two kills from Lewis and kills from Nikki Gittens, Savannah Stewart and Daniel. The Jag defense capped off the scoring as Gittens and freshman setter Emma Anderson teamed up to turn back a Mountaineer attack and give South Alabama a 13-7 advantage.
App State trimmed the deficit to 17-13 following a kill by Corrigan, but USA didn't allow the visitors to get any closer as the Jaguars eventually pushed their lead out to double figures. The Jags took the early lead in the match with the 25-15 first-set victory when an Appalachian State serve went long
South Alabama was outstanding on both sides of the net in the opening frame. USA had 18 kills and committed just two attack errors for a .500 hitting percentage, while holding a 19-11 dig advantage and a 6-0 block assists margin.
SET TWO: APPALACHIAN STATE 25, SOUTH ALABAMA 19Riding the momentum of taking the first set, the Jags got off to a quick start in the second set, picking up the first three points and taking a 6-2 lead after kills by Gittens and Lewis.
App State though battled its way back and later tied the set back up at 10-10 on a Haley Kerr ace. Two points later, Gray ignited a 6-1 run with a kill. Corrigan – who recorded six kills in the second set – also added a pair of kills during the run and Gray gave the Mountaineers a 16-12 advantage with another put away.
USA narrowed the deficit to three (19-16) after an ASU attack error, but Keller began another scoring spurt with one of her seven kills in the frame.
Corrigan later sealed the 25-19 win with another kill which deflected of a Jaguar player's hand.
After hitting just .143 in the first set, Appalachian State bounced back in the second to record a .394 hitting percentage.
SET THREE: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, APPALACHIAN STATE 16Tied at 10-10 in the third set, South Alabama once again used a run to take control of the frame. Daniel's kill sparked a 6-1 spurt over the next seven points. Two points after the kill, Daniel dropped in an ace. Lewis later capped off the scoring and put the Jags up 16-11 with back-to-back kills.
From that point on, Appalachian State got no closer than five. USA went on to take the set, 25-16, after Daniel's third kill of the frame. South Alabama hit .333 (13-3-30) in the third set compared to .043 (8-7-23) by Appalachian State. Stephenson led the Jaguars with four kills in the frame.
SET FOUR: APPALACHIAN STATE 25, SOUTH ALABAMA 17Led by Corrigan, the Mountaineers opened up the fourth set on a 6-0 run. Corrigan recorded three of her six kills in the set during the ASU run.
Still trailing 15-7 after an App State block, Gittens and Daniel led the Jaguar charge as the duo spurred on a 7-1 USA run that began with five unanswered points. Daniel posted four kills and a block during the scoring spurt, while Gittens added a kill and a block of her own. Daniel cut App State's lead and capped off the run with back-to-back kills, pulling USA within two (16-14).
The Mountaineers quickly retook control as they answered back with seven of the next eight points to extend their lead back out to 23-15. The trio of Gray, Keller and Corrigan each had two kills apiece during the run.
Appalachian State later evened the match at 2-2 with the 25-17 set victory.
SET FIVE: SOUTH ALABAMA 15, APPALACHIAN STATE 9In the fifth and final set, South Alabama broke a 2-2 tie with a 6-1 run and took an 8-3 advantage at the cross over break. Lewis led the charge for USA as she had three kills during the scoring run.
Coming out of a time out, App State battled its way back and trimmed the deficit to 9-7 following a Jaguar attack error, but South Alabama didn't allow the Mountaineers to get any closer as it answered right back with three-straight points to extend its advantage back out to 12-7.
Gittens later clinched the match with her ninth kill of the night to seal the 15-9 fifth-set win.
NOTES: The win over Appalachian State snapped both a five-match losing streak and a six-match skid at home for the Jaguars. South Alabama held a .291-.235 hitting percentage advantage, marking the first time USA has out-hit a conference foe since doing so at Louisiana-Monroe on Oct. 24. The 11.0 total blocks were a new season-best for the Jaguars. The 22 block assists versus the Mountaineers were also a new season-high for the club. Nikki Gitten's seven block assists were a new career-high for the Jag middle blocker. The .425 hitting percentage by Jessica Lewis was also a new career-best for the sophomore outside hitter. The 16-kill effort was the 16th double-figure kill match of the season for Lewis. With her 13 kills and 12 digs, Mechell Daniel now has a team-best 12 double-doubles this season. The match was just the second meeting between South Alabama and Appalachian State. The two teams have split both of those meetings 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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