UniWyo Cowgirl Classic Notes (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team will continue its road trip in the western part of the United States as it will compete at the UniWyo Cowgirl Classic hosted by the University of Wyoming at the UniWyo Sports Complex.  USA will face the host Cowgirls on Friday at 1 p.m. (CT) and then take on Montana later that same day at 6 p.m. (CT).  The Jags will then close out play versus Ball State on Saturday at 11 a.m. (CT).

"This weekend each of the three teams will pose a different challenge," South Alabama head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said. "Wyoming and Ball State both won their respective tournaments this past weekend.  Once again, we scheduled teams that will push us to execute at a high level.  After our results this past weekend, we will focus on what we need to improve on in order to perform better."

Live stats for all three matches will be available at www.USAJaguars.com.  Free video of South Alabama's match versus Wyoming on Friday night will also be available.  Links to both live stats and the web streaming of the Wyoming match can be accessed on the Jaguar volleyball schedule page.

South Alabama (0-3) enters the Wyoming tournament this weekend after falling in straight sets to host Pepperdine on Friday in straight sets and to both Oral Roberts and Nevada on Saturday in four sets on the final day of the Asics Classic.

Sophomore outside hitter Jessica Lewis led the Jags offensively, recording 33 kills for a 3.00 kills per set average.  Lewis' best outing came in the final match against the Wolf Pack as she had 16 kills.  Mechell Daniel and Nikki Gittens currently ranks second and third, respectively, on the club in kills.  Daniel has 30 kills and is averaging 2.73 kps, while Gittens – who earned all-tournament honors – has 26 kills and is averaging 2.36 kps.  Daniel also has 22 digs and Gittens sits just outside the Sun Belt leaders with a .320 hitting percentage.  

USA struggled a bit as a team offensively, committing 74 attack errors and a .146 hitting percentage in its first three matches of the season.

Jenna Hassell returned to her starting libero role after missing all of the 2013 season due to injury and paced the club with 47 digs.  She is tied for fourth in the league in that category with 4.27 per set.  Hassell also moved up to third on the career digs list over the weekend as she now has 1,289 for her career.

Wyoming enters their home tournament with a 4-0 overall mark on the season.  The Cowgirls remained perfect with a 3-0 win over Utah Valley on Monday night.  The straight-set win was the third in four matches for Wyoming.

The Cowgirls have been extremely proficient and balanced at the offensive end as they are hitting .346 and have four players averaging over 2.50 kps.

Bridget Shanahan leads the club in kills with 55 and is averaging a blistering 4.23 kps.  She is also hitting .386.  Kayla Slofkiss has 42 kills and is averaging 3.23 kills per set.  She is also third on club in digs with 2.31 per frame.  After posting 11 kills and hitting .912 against Utah Valley, Erin Kirby is third with 2.62 kps and is second on the team with a .413 hitting percentage.  Laura Beach paces the club with a .660 hitting percentage and is averaging 2.54 kills per set.  

Cowgirl libero Lilly Austin leads the club in the backcourt with 4.54 digs per set.

Montana enters this weekend's action still in search of its first win of 2014 after dropping all three of its matches over the weekend at the Montana Invitational.

The Grizzles fell in four sets to Cal Poly to start the year and then dropped a pair of straight set decisions to Washington State and Wyoming.

Montana struggled both offensively and defensively at its home tournament only averaging 9.6 kills per set as a club, while surrendering 15.6 kps to the opposition.  UM also hit just .188 in its three matches thus far.

Michelle Robinson is averaging 2.20 kps and Claire McCown enters play this week at 2.10 per set.  

Capri Robinson paces the Grizzles defensively at the net with 1.10 blocks per set.  As a team, Montana is averaging 2.30 per set.

Ball State comes into the tournament this weekend with a 2-1 record on the young season.  This past weekend, the Cardinals picked up a pair of 3-0 wins over Northern Colorado and Western Illinois at the Ball State Active Ankle Challenge.  BSU did fall 3-1 to Eastern Illinois.

Offensively Kelly Hopkins leads the club after getting off to a quick start during the opening weekend.  Hopkins had 33 kills in BSU's three matches and is averaging 3.30 kills per set.  Hopkins is also hitting .371.

Alex Fuellng and Hayley Benson are also averaging over two kills per set, coming in at 2.70 and 2.40, respectively.

Cardinal setter Jenna Spadafora is also hitting .300 and averaging 9.20 assists per set.

Benson and Spradafora have also been strong at the net as they are averaging 1.70 and 1.10 blocks per frame.  As a team, Ball State is averaging 2.85 bps.

NOTES: The match versus Wyoming will mark the first meeting between the two programs.   It will also be just the fifth time South Alabama has faced a team from the Mountain West Conference.  Prior, to last weekend's match versus Nevada at the Asics Classic, USA had 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) and is 0-4 against the conference.  The match with Montana will mark the second meeting between the Jags and the Grizzles and the first between the two programs since Sept. 1, 1995.  The Grizzles defeated USA 3-1 at the Texas-Arlington Invitational in Arlington, Texas.  The match will also be just the third time South Alabama has faced a team from the Big Sky Conference.  The Jags are 0-2 versus the league falling to both Montana (1995) and Montana State (1993).  USA's last match versus the league was against the Grizzles.  The match versus Ball State will mark the first meeting between the two programs.  It will also mark just the second time the Jaguars have faced a current Mid-American Conference member.  USA is 0-1 versus the league, falling 3-0 to Toledo at the Georgia Tech Classic back on Sept. 11, 1998.

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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