Box Score - Little Rock 3, South Alabama 0 (.pdf)MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team dropped a straight-set decision, falling 23-25, 22-25, 20-25 to Little Rock on Friday afternoon at Jag Gym on Senior Day. Prior to the match, South Alabama honored defensive specialist Emily Hundt and outside hitter Savannah Stewart who played their final home match of their careers.
USA (13-12, 7-7 SBC) will close out the regular season on the road with matches at Texas State on Friday at 6:30 p.m. and at UT Arlington on Sunday at 1 p.m. Live stats and web streaming for both matches 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.
Mechell Daniel was the lone Jag to finish in double figures offensively with 12 kills. Stewart had nine kills and two block assists in her final home match, while Hundt led the club with a match-high 19 digs.
With her 19 digs, Hundt moved into sixth on South Alabama's career digs chart, passing former Jag Selena Chidester (1999-02). She now has 1,024 for her career. Her 19 digs were also tied for fifth-most at USA in a three-set match.
Jaguar setter Emma Anderson recorded her eighth double-double of the season in the loss, finishing with 31 assists and 14 digs.
Little Rock evened its record to 12-12 overall and 8-6 in conference play. Edina Selimovic led all players with 14 kills and a .333 hitting percentage. Marina Avram was also in double digits with 11 kills. Carolee Dillard had nine kills and four block assists.
SET ONE: LITTLE ROCK 25, SOUTH ALABAMA 23South Alabama was the first team to grab more than a one-point lead in the opening set at 12-10. The Jaguars trailed by one (10-9), but pushed across three-straight points. Stewart and Nikki Gittens each slammed home a kill followed by a Trojan attack error.
With USA still leading by three (16-13), Little Rock rallied back and pushed across seven of the next nine points to take a two-point lead of its own. Selimovic and Avram each had two kills apiece during the Trojan run with Avram's second give Little Rock a 20-18 advantage.
The Jaguars answered back with two-straight points of their own to tie the set back up. Arissa Chappell's serve found the back left corner for an ace and Gittens then slammed home one of her three kills in the frame to knot the contest back up at 20-20.
With the two clubs still tied at 23-23 later in the set, Little Rock was able to pick up the final two points and take the early match lead. Dillard teamed up with Veronica Marin for a block. After a Jaguar time out, Miona Milovanovic sealed the 25-23 victory for the visitors with a kill of her own.
Dillard – the Sun Belt's leader in blocks – recorded three of the Trojans' six block assists in the opening set.
Both clubs were outstanding defensively in back court as they combined for 51 digs – Little Rock (26) and South Alabama (25).
SET TWO: LITTLE ROCK 25, SOUTH ALABAMA 22In the second set, Little Rock used a 5-0 run early on in the set to grow a one-point advantage into a 13-7 lead. Avram posted back-to-back kills and Selimovic capped off the run with a kill of her own. Avram would go on to lead the Trojans with six kills in the frame.
Trailing 14-9 later in the set, South Alabama finally got some momentum going as the Jags pushed across six of the next seven points. Daniel recorded USA's first three points of the run, while the Trojans also registered three-straight attack errors to tie the set back up at 15-15.
Little Rock quickly regained control as the Trojans pushed across the next three points. Marin had a kill and Avram then dropped in an ace. Milovanovic then followed with her second kill of the frame to put the visitors up 18-15.
From there, USA was only able to get as close as two down the stretch. Dillard sealed the 25-22 Trojan win with her seventh kill of the match.
Despite dropping the set, South Alabama did post a .314 hitting percentage (14-3-35) in the second set, with Daniel leading the club with six kills in the frame.
SET THREE: LITTLE ROCK 25, SOUTH ALABAMA 20Coming out the intermission, Little Rock used its strong serving to grab the momentum early, picking up the first four points of the set. Sydnee Martin recoded an ace for the opening point of the frame.
South Alabama came back and eventually tied the set back up at 9-all after a Trojan attack error.
The set remained close over the next several points and trailing 17-15, the Jaguars made their move and pushed across four-straight points to claim their first lead of the set. Kristina Alabastro began the scoring with a kill. Sarah Richardson and Stewart then combined on a block and Daniel tied the set back up at 15-15 with an ace. Little Rock then committed a ball-handling error.
Errors would prove costly over the next four points for the Jags as they had a serving miscue, two attack errors and a setting error to give the Trojans a 21-19 advantage.
Little Rock picked up the final four points of the match to complete the sweep. Selimovic and Avram each recorded a pair of kills down the stretch, giving the Trojans the 25-20.
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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