Box Score - South Alabama 3, Mississippi State 0 (.pdf)STARKVILLE, Miss. – Sophomore outside hitter Mechell Daniel recorded 14 kills and 14 digs for her third double-double of the season as the University of South Alabama volleyball team captured a 3-0 road victory Thursday night at Mississippi State in the opening match of the Maroon Classic at the Newell-Grissom Building.
"I'm very proud of our team for the composure they brought tonight and the way they were able to maintain it throughout the match," South Alabama head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said.
The win for the Jaguars (3-4) was the program's first-ever on the Bulldogs' home court in the series and the first for USA in the series since 1987 when it won 2-0 over MSU at the Southern Miss Invitational in Hattiesburg, Miss. The win was also the first for the program over a member from the Southeastern Conference since the 2005 season when South Alabama picked up a 3-1 win over Ole Miss in Mobile. The win was also the first by the Jags on an SEC opponent's home floor since Oct. 11, 1980 when USA defeated Auburn 2-1.
Along with Daniel, Symone Stephenson added eight kills, while Nikki Gittens, Mallory Moore and Jessica Lewis each chipped in with six kills apiece. Gittens finished with a .364 hitting percentage in the win, while Moore and Stephenson had a .333 percentage. As a team, South Alabama finished the evening with 43 kills and hit .264. Jaguar setter Emily Hundt continued her solid play as she recorded 30 assists in the match.
"I thought that Emily (Hundt) ran a pretty balanced offense," Hendrichovsky said. "It made it more difficult for Mississippi State to defend us with us in system and her having three or four viable options on offense. Defensively, we made some adjustments early and our players responded to those adjustments which put pressure on (MSU) to find ways to get kills."
Defensively, the Jaguars posted one solo block and 12 block assists. Lewis and Stephenson each had four blocks each. Lewis ended the night with one solo block assists, while Stephenson had four block assists, giving her 18 on the year. Daniel also added three block assists.
The Jags will next take on Northwestern State on Friday at 1 p.m. and close out with a pair of matches on Saturday – vs. Nicholls State (11 a.m.) and vs. Memphis (5 p.m.). Live stats for all four matches will be available at www.USAJaguars.com on the Jaguar volleyball schedule page.
Mississippi State (2-6) had two players finish in double figures as Chelsea Duhs and Alex Warren each had 10 kills apiece. Payton Harris paced the Bulldogs in the defensive backcourt with a math-high 17 digs.
SET ONE: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, MISSISSIPPI STATE 19The opening set was tight for much of the first half of the frame. With it set all square at 12-12, South Alabama took control as it rattled off a 4-1 spurt to take a three-point advantage (16-13). Following a MSU point on a kill by Leticia Valente, USA put the set away with run of six-straight points. Jenna Hassell had a pair of aces during the run and Daniel gave the Jags a 22-14 lead with a kill – one of her eight in the opening set.
The Jaguars later held set point (24-17) after another kill from Daniel and three points later, USA took the early one set to none lead in the match when Daniel slammed home another kill to give the Jags a 25-19 victory.
South Alabama posted its best hitting percentage in the first set at .308, recording 15 kills on 39 attacks and committing just three errors.
SET TWO: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, MISSISSIPPI STATE 18South Alabama trailed 6-5 early on in the second set, but rallied back to take the lead for good with a run of three consecutive points. With the Jaguars holding a two-point lead (10-8), the visitors broke the set open as USA pushed across six of the next seven points to extend its lead out to 16-9 on a MSU attack error. Lewis sparked the pivotal run as the sophomore had three kills and a block assist during that stretch.
Mississippi State narrowed the deficit to five at 16-11 after a Jaguar attack error, but that was as close as the home team would get the rest of the set.
USA answered the MSU run and pulled away as the Jaguars eventually went on to take a double-digit lead (23-13) after back-to-back Bulldog attack errors.
Daniel and Stephenson sealed the 25-18 win for the Jags with as the duo teamed up to turn back a Mississippi State attack.
South Alabama once again held an advantage on the offensive side of the net, out hitting MSU .231 - .000 in the frame. Stephenson led USA with five kills on six attempts and had an .833 percentage.
SET THREE: SOUTH ALABMA 25, MISSISSIPPI STATE 14After trading the first several points, South Alabama once again took control early on in the third and final set as it broke a 3-3 tie with a run of four unanswered points. Following a Bulldog serving error, Baker dropped in an ace for the Jags and Lewis then had a solo block and a block assist with Gittens to out USA up 7-3.
From that point on, USA held control the rest of the way. MSU made a late rally attempt reeling off five unanswered points late in the set, but the Jaguars captured the final three points of the match on a Bulldog service error and kills by Moore and Gittens.
NOTES: The win for the Jaguars over Mississippi State was the program's first-ever on the Bulldogs' home court in the series and the first for USA in the series since 1987 when it won 2-0 over MSU at the Southern Miss Invitational in Hattiesburg, Miss. MSU leads the all-time series 8-4, but had its six-match series win streak snapped on Thursday night. The win was also the first for the program over a member from the Southeastern Conference since the 2005 season when South Alabama picked up a 3-1 win over Ole Miss in Mobile. The win was also the first by the Jags on an SEC opponent's home floor since Oct. 11, 1980 when South Alabama defeated Auburn 2-1. USA is now 29-75 all-time versus current Southeastern Conference members. Mechell Daniel recorded third double-double of the season and the 17th of her career with her 14 kills and 14 digs versus the Bulldogs. The win versus Mississippi State also marked the 500th all-time for the program.
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—
