Asics Classic Match Notes (.pdf)MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team will open the 2014 campaign this weekend as the Jags head out to the West Coast to compete at the Asics Classic hosted by Pepperdine at Firestone Fieldhouse. USA will open up play versus the host-Waves on Friday at 9 p.m. (CT) and then take on Oral Roberts and Nevada on Saturday at Noon (CT) and 7 p.m. (CT), respectively.
"Our players are very excited to start this season and are ready to compete against someone else on the other side of the net," third-year Jaguar head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said. "I felt we had two well-played sets in our scrimmage (on Saturday) and was impressed with our overall effort for two sets. I'm eager to see us compete this weekend and ask that as a team we get better each time we step on the court."
Live stats for all three matches will be available at www.USAJaguars.com. Free video of South Alabama's match versus Pepperdine on Friday night will also be available. Links to both live stats and the web streaming of the Pepperdine match can be accessed on the Jaguar volleyball schedule page.
South Alabama enters this season after posting the program's best season in nearly 20 years. The Jaguars ended the regular season as one of the hottest teams in the Sun Belt, picking up wins in seven of their final nine matches heading into the Sun Belt tournament.
USA returns all six starters from a year ago, led by the sophomore duo of Mechell Daniel and Jessica Lewis. Daniel was selected as the league's freshman of the year, as well as being named first-team all-conference, while Lewis took home second-team honors. Daniel ranked third in the conference in kills (423 – 3.81 per set) and points (4.33 per set) and recorded a team-high 14 double-doubles on the year, including 13 in conference play. Daniel also earned preseason all-conference accolades earlier this month.
Despite missing that time, Lewis still was able to record 260 kills and average 3.42 kills per set ranked fifth in the SBC in kills and points (3.80 per set).
The South Alabama roster will also welcome back Jenna Hassell and Savannah Stewart who each missed last season due to injury. Hassell comes into the 2014 season sitting in fourth on USA's career digs list with 1,242 and leads the program in career digs average (3.76). As a true freshman, Stewart led the club with 300 kills and ranked second on the team in service aces (31) and in digs (305).
Along with the list of returning players, the Jags welcome Sarah Richardson – a 6-0 transfer from Rutgers – and a pair of freshmen – Emma Anderson and Kolby Meeks.
Hendrichovsky believes that the field at this opening tournament should provide a good gauge for the Jaguars.
"This tournament is going to be a great test for our team," Hendirchovsky said. "We have three teams that we don't know much about and in return they don't know much about us. Pepperdine is traditionally a volleyball power and won the sand volleyball national championship in 2014. Three of their returners were a part of that achievement. Oral Roberts had a great year last season and will be looking to repeat their success, and Nevada returns majority of their team from last season. With the first weekend, there isn't any video to scout so it will come down to which team is executing at a higher level and able to make adjustments once the match has started."
Pepperdine enters the 2014 season under the direction of first-year head coach Troy Tanner – a three-time All-American for Pepperdine and an Olympic Medalist. This past spring, Pepperdine won its second AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball National Championship in the past three seasons at the event held in Gulf Shores, Ala. The Waves are picked to finish fourth this season in the West Coast Conference.
Offensively, the Waves are led by Katie Messing. Last season, the 6-4 outside hitter paced the club and ranked seventh in the West Coast Conference in kills with 354 and 3.54 per set. Fellow senior middle blocker Samantha Cash was fourth in the WCC in hitting as she posted a .337. Cash was also strong at the net as she was third in the league in blocks with 119 and 1.31 per set.
As a team, PU was second in the conference in digs with 15.32 per set. The Waves had three players ranked in the top 15 of the league in that category a year ago and return two of those - Jillian Bergeson and Becca Strehlow. Bergeson was seventh in the conference with 3.56 per set. Strehlow was 10th in that category, while the junior setter had 933 assists.
The Waves posted a 15-11 overall record and a 9-9 mark in the West Coast Conference last season.
Oral Roberts will open the 2014 season on Friday versus Nevada before taking on the Jags. ORU returns nine letterwinners from their 2013 squad, including SLC Newcomer of the Year Sara Pope. The Golden Eagles went 22-7 a year ago and finished third in the Southland Conference regular season standings. Over the summer, ORU moved to the Summit League.
In her first season with the Golden Eagles, Pope averaged 3.65 kills per set - which ranked second-most in the Southland. Pope was also seventh in the league in hitting . Sophomore outside hitter McKenna Qualls was second on the club a year ago with 2.20 kills per set. Junior middle blocker Jovana Poljasevic was fifth in the SLC at the net with 1.05 blocks per set.
Last season, Oral Roberts led the SLC in blocks (2.3) and was second in the conference in hitting (.251) and kills (13.8).
ORU will have to replace three key starters from last year's club following the graduation of middle blocker Jessica Pancratz (1.04 bps), libero Bruna Silva (5.19 dps) and setter Laura Taylor (10.27 aps).
Nevada comes into the 2014 season looking to rebound from a 4-28 record a year ago. The Wolf Pack is led both offensively and defensively by 6-3 senior middle blocker Tessa Lea'ea. In her three seasons in Reno, Lea'ea has developed herself into one of the premier middle blockers in the Mountain West as she has led Nevada in blocks each of the last three seasons. Last season, Lea'ea led NU in numerous offensive categories last season including kills, kills per set, hitting percentage, points and points per set, while also ranking among the leaders in the MWC in kills, blocks and points.
During the 2013 campaign, Lea'ea recorded 307 kills and averaged 2.82 kps, while hitting .249. She also led the club in blocks with 114 and averaged 1.05 per set - ninth-best in the Mountain West.
Nevada also returns junior Sam Willoughby who was second on the team a year ago with 2.41 kills per set. Willoughby posted 263 kills and had 65 blocks.
The Wolf Pack returns four starters and its starting libero from last year's squad.
NOTES: This weekend will mark the first time South Alabama has ever faced Pepperdine, Oral Roberts and Nevada. The match with Pepperdine will not only mark the first meeting between the two clubs, but also the first time the Jags have faced a team currently from the West Coast Conference. Saturday's match against ORU will also mark the 22nd time that South Alabama has faced a current Summit League member. USA is 2-19 all-time versus the league with all but one of those meetings coming versus Denver (1-19). All 20 of the Pioneers' meetings versus the Jaguars came during their 13-year membership with the Sun Belt Conference. South Alabama's last win versus a Summit League opponent came on Sept. 6, 2002 versus IUPUI at the Bradley Invitational in Peoria, Ill. The match versus Nevada will be the fourth in which South Alabama has faced a team from the Mountain West Conference. USA last faced a MWC opponent back on Sept. 6, 2003 when the Jaguars fell in straight sets to Air Force at the Georgia State Sheraton Invitational in Atlanta, Ga. South Alabama has also faced MWC league members Fresno State (1988) and New Mexico (1982). USA is 0-3 against current conference members.
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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