Match 15: Georgia State Match Notes (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – After playing its final non-conference match of the season earlier this week the University of South Alabama volleyball team will step back into Sun Belt action this weekend, hosting Georgia State.  First serve versus the Panthers at Jag Gym is set for Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

"This match will come down to who is able to take care of their side of the court and be the aggressor of the match," South Alabama head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said.  "We have moments of being a competitive, passionate, tough team in every match, but we are looking for our team to consistently bring that to every set.  

"Georgia State is a veteran team and has multiple seniors on their court.  Every night we compete in the Sun Belt, we have to prepare to play our best.  Each team will pose different threats we will prepare our team for."

Live stats and web streaming for the match can be accessed at www.USAJaguars.com.  Fans can also keep up with in-match updates by following action on the program's twitter account @USA_Jags_VB.  The match is also Camper Night.

South Alabama (7-7, 1-2 SBC) returns to Sun Belt Conference action after falling in five sets at Southern Mississippi on Tuesday night in its final non-conference match of the season.  The Jaguars led 2-1 in the match, but dropped the final two sets to the Golden Eagles.

Mechell Daniel was one of three players for USA to record double figures offensively in the loss.  The junior outside hitter recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 14 kills and a career-high 20 digs.  Daniel is averaging 3.43 kills per set, which ranks fourth in the Sun Belt in the latest rankings.

Entering Saturday night's match, Daniel is just seven kills shy of becoming the seventh South Alabama player to eclipse the 1,000-kill mark for her career.

The Jags recoded 20.0 total blocks in the match against the Golden Eagles, the first 20.0-block match for the program since the 2002 season.  USA also had 34 block assists in Tuesday's match, setting a new rally-era program mark in that category.  

Middle blocker Sarah Richardson posted her second 10-block match of the season and set a new career high with 10 block assists.

Richardson still ranks among the conference leaders in hitting percentage, ranking fifth in the SBC in that category with a .361 clip.  The Germantown, Tenn., native also now ranks 10th in the league in blocks with 1.02 per set.  She has 57 total blocks entering this weekend's action.

Fellow middle blocker Nikki Gittens is close behind Richardson with 51 total blocks and a 0.91 bps average.  Gittens is also averaging 2.23 kills per set and hitting .276.

As a team, South Alabama is averaging 2.06 blocks per set, its highest average to date this season.

Senior defensive specialist Emily Hundt has established herself as the top defensive player in the back row for the Jags.  She ranks 10th in the SBC in digs with 3.38 per set and is coming off a career-best 21 dig performance versus Southern Miss.  Over her last five matches, Hundt has registered 84 digs and is averaging 4.20 digs per set.

True freshman Arissa Chappell continues to rank among the serving leaders in the Sun Belt.  She currently ranks sixth with 0.36 aces per set.

Georgia State enters play this week with a 4-9 overall record and an 0-3 mark in Sun Belt action.  Four of its nine losses have come in five sets.  Last weekend, GSU fell in straight sets to Texas State in Atlanta.

The Panthers will take on Troy on Friday night before traveling to Mobile to take on the Jaguars.

Offensively, GSU is led by junior outside hitter Kristina Stinson and preseason all-conference selection Deidra Bohannon.  Stinson leads the club with 165 kills and her 3.24 kills per set average is second best, while Bohannon is right behind her with 157 kills and leads the team with a 3.27 kps average.

Bohannon and Stinson rank ninth and 10th, respectively in kills heading into this weekend's matches.  Bohannon has also been solid defensively for the Panthers as she is averaging 3.23 digs per set, second highest on the GSU roster.

Middle blocker Kitan Ajanaku has been extremely efficient hitting the ball as she ranks third in the league in hitting percentage (.368).

Panther setter Natalia Neito is fourth in the SBC in assists averaging 9.67 per set.

Senior libero Gabby Serafin ranks sixth in the conference in digs with 4.56 per set.

As a team, Georgia State is second in the Sun Belt in serving, averaging 1.54 aces per set.  The Panthers have 80 aces on the year.  Individually, Sydney Mauer's 0.41 aces per set average is third-best in the conference, while Stinson is fifth with 0.37 per set.

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—