Box Score - South Alabama 3, McNeese State 0 (.pdf)
Box Score - South Alabama 3, Samford 0 (.pdf)

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team picked up a pair of straight-set victories Saturday en route to picking up the Jaguar Invitational tournament title held at Jag Gym.  The Jaguars opened the day with a 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-21) win over McNeese State and then defeated in-state rival Samford in the night cap 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-17).

"(This weekend) was the best volleyball that we've played this season and we got better as the tournament went on," South Alabama head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said.  "It's exciting to see our team put things together and do the things that we as a coaching staff have believed they could do.  They are really starting to believe it and see it.  

"It was good to play at home and hold home turf.  We had a great crowd, especially for our two night matches and we hope that they come out and support us next weekend."

USA (5-4) will now open up Sun Belt Conference play next Friday when the Jaguars host Arkansas State at 6:30 p.m.

For her play, junior opposite side hitter Mechell Daniel was named the tournament's MVP after averaging leading the club with 45 kills (4.09 kps) and hitting .330, to go along with her 29 digs.  

"I think this weekend that we really executed well as a team," Daniel said.  "We focused on not making many errors, and it was great to have our offense executing the way we want it too. We were able to come up with some key plays when we needed them, no matter what situation we were in.  The execution of our passers and setters was great this weekend as well, and its good to see that as we head into conference play."

Sarah Richardson was also named to the all-tournament squad.  The Germantown, Tenn., native had 23 kills and 10 block assists, while hitting .525 over her three matches.  Richardson committed just two attack errors in her four attempts.

Also named to the Jaguar Invitational all-tournament team were Kayla Armer and Jessica Wooten from Houston Baptist, Krista Boesing from Samford and Bridget Justis from McNeese State.

MATCH ONE: SOUTH ALABAMA 3, MCNEESE STATE 0
The Jaguars opened the final day of the Jaguar Invitational with a straight-set sweep of McNeese State.  Daniel led all players with 16 kills and hit .364 in the match committing just four attack errors on her 33 attempts.  

Sophomore setter Emma Anderson recorded her third-straight double-double and second of the tournament with 28 assists and 10 digs.  Arissa Chappell finished with a match-high 15 digs, while Emily Hundt and Savannah Stewart each added 12 kills apiece.  Richardson paced the club at the net with five block assists.

The Cowgirls fell to 1-6 with the loss and were led offensively by Haliee Showers' 10 kills.  Kelly Graham posted a double-double of her own with 22 assists and 10 digs.  

South Alabama registered a .257 hitting percentage, while limiting McNeese to a .041 attack percentage forcing the Cowgirls into 27 attack errors.

SET ONE: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, MCNEESE STATE 23
The opening set proved to be the closest set of the match as it featured five ties and three lead changes.

The Jags jumped out to a quick 4-1 advantage and eventually led by as much as seven (14-7) following a kill by Stewart.  

The Cowgirls would answer back tough with an 11-3 run over the next 14 points and take their first lead of the match, 18-17 on a USA attack error.  Amber Fryer had three kills during the MSU run and Shanna Spree also recorded two kills during that stretch.

McNeese didn't hold the lead long though as the Jaguars responded right back with four unanswered points to retake a 21-18 lead following back-to-back kills by Richardson.  

The Cowgirls would tie the set back up two more times and with the scored knotted up at 23-23, USA was able to capture the final two points to take the set, 25-23.  Nikki Gittens slammed home one of her seven kills to clinch the two-point victory.

SET TWO: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, MCNEESE STATE 13
In the second set, McNeese State grabbed an early 3-1 lead, but that didn't last long as the Jaguars rattled off the next seven points to take control for good.  Daniel paced the USA run with three more kills, the last giving South Alabama am 8-3 advantage.

Over the remainder of the set, the Cowgirls wouldn't get any closer than five as the Jaguars went on to take a 2-0 lead in the match with the 25-13 second-set win.  

Daniel led the charge offensively with seven of her 16 kills and hit .462 in the set.  As a team, South Alabama posted its best percentage, finishing with a .342 attack percentage (14-3-32).  McNeese State managed just six kills in the frame on 38 attempts and had eight attack errors for a -.053 percentage.  The frontline defense for the Jags caused issues for the Cowgirls, posting 10 block assists.

SET THREE: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, MCNEESE STATE 21
In the third and final set, the Jaguars broke a 3-3 tie with a run of five-straight points and held the lead for good from there.  Daniel added two more kills and Chappell capped off the scoring with an ace to extend USA's lead out to 8-3.

Later in the set, Gittens posted a solo block to put USA one point away from taking the match, but McNeese made a late charge, fighting off four-straight match-points to pull within three (24-21).  Coming out of a South Alabama time out though, Gittens clinched the three-set victory with a kill.

MATCH TWO: SOUTH ALABAMA 3, SAMFORD 0
In the championship match, the Jaguars continued their strong play picking up the straight-set win over the Bulldogs.  

Daniel and Richardson led the club with 11 kills each.  Richardson had her 11 kills on 17 attacks and recorded just two errors for a .529 hitting percentage, while Daniel added eight digs and hit .346 (11-2-26) in the match.  Gittens had six kills and hit .417 to go along with a mach-best five block assists.  Stewart also had six kills and a team-high nine digs for USA.

As a team, South Alabama recorded a season-best .320 hitting percentage.  The Jaguars recorded 43 kills and committed just 12 attack errors in 97 attempts.

Samford (3-4) was paced by Boesing's 11 kills.  T.J. Russell added nine kills of her own, while Kate Neisler and Kiahna Wicks each had eight kills.

SET ONE: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, SAMFORD 22
Both clubs came out strong offensively in the first set with each hitting over .300.

South Alabama took the lead for good in the opening set when the Jaguars broke an early 6-6 tie with three-straight points.  Gittens began the spurt with a kill and then teamed up with sophomore setter Emma Anderson for a block. Daniel then slammed home one of her 11 kills.

The margin would remain around that margin over the remainder of the set.  Coming out of a time out and trailing by two (24-22), Samford registered one of its nine service errors on the night to seal the 25-22 win for the Jags.

SET TWO: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, SAMFORD 19
In the second set, South Alabama recorded its best hitting percentage of the match (.317) and registered 17 kills.  Daniel had five kills in the frame and hit .500, while Stewart also added four kills in the set.

Leading 8-7, Kristina Alabastro and Gittens combined to turn back a Bulldog attack to ignite a run for the Jaguars.  USA would go on to pick up five of the next six points and extend its lead out to 13-8.

Anderson later put South Alabama up 2-0 in the match with a kill, giving the Jags the 25-19 second-set win.

SET THREE: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, SAMFORD
South Alabama got off to a quick start in the third set, but Samford came right back and tied the frame back up.  Tied 5-5, the Jags reeled off six of the next eight points to take the lead for good.

USA later put the match away as the tourney host used a run of six unanswered points to see its two-point advantage grow to eight 20-12.  Daniel added a pair of kills during the run.

Stewart later clinched the match and the 25-17 set win with her sixth kill.

Jaguar Invitational All-Tournament Team
Mechell Daniel (South Alabama) - MVP
Sarah Richardson (South Alabama)
Kayla Armer (Houston Baptist)
Jessica Wooten (Houston Baptist)
Krista Boesing (Samford)
Bridget Justis (McNeese State)

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—