Box Score - Southern Mississippi 3, South Alabama 2 (.pdf)HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team posted a season-high 20.0 total blocks – three solo and 34 block assists – Tuesday evening, but Southern Mississippi picked up the final two sets to take the match, 3-2 (22-25, 25-20, 25, 22, 22-25, 15-8) at Reed Green Coliseum.
"I knew tonight's match was going to be a close match," South Alabama head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said. "The one thing we need to take from the match tonight as we step back into conference play is the need for consistency on our side of the offensive net. Tonight, whichever team was able to execute better in the serve-and-pass game was able to come out with the set.
"Obviously, we had a very nice night blocking. Our girls were very focused in that area and coming into the match, they knew that Southern Miss was a very aggressive team offensively. The hard thing for us was in the fifth set where we kind of dropped the ball on that, which allowed them to be more successful offensively."
The 20.0 total blocks tied for third-most in program history since the inception of the rally era scoring back during the 2001 season. The 34 block assists established a new program mark, eclipsing the previous rally-era high of 32 set against Birmingham-Southern back on Sept. 13, 2002.
USA (7-7, 1-2 SBC) will return home to host Georgia State on Saturday with first serve versus the Panthers set for 6:30 p.m. at Jag Gym. 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.
Junior middle blocker Sarah Richardson led the club with a career-best 10 block assists. The 10 total blocks also tied a career-best for Richardson and marked the second time this season that she has had double-figure blocks in a match this season. Richardson's 10 block assists also marked the first time a Jaguar has posted 10 block assists in a match since Oct. 24, 2009 when Lindsey Schwartz had 10 versus Denver.
Nikki Gittens added seven block assists, while Mechell Daniel also ended the night with seven total blocks – one solo and six assists. Kolby Meeks and Emma Anderson also had five block assists apiece.
Daniel also recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 14 kills and a career-best 20 digs. Senior libero Emily Hundt also chipped in with a career-high 21 digs. The 20-dig efforts by both Hundt and Daniel marked the first time since USA's Sept. 8, 2012 match at Georgia State that the program has had two players record 20 or more digs in the same match. Former Jags Jenna Hassell (33) and Katariina Kannanen (20) were the last to do so.
Offensively, Meeks also had a solid match, setting a new career mark with 13 kills and finishing the match with a .333 hitting percentage. Gittens added 10 kills and Katelyn Lochner had nine.
Stephany Purdue led Southern Miss (14-5, 1-1 CUSA) with 25 kills in the win. Purdue was the lone USM player in double figures offensively in the match. The junior outside hitter also added 10 digs for a double-double.
Rachel Johnson ended the night just outside double digits with nine kills and a .389 hitting percentage, while Kelsey Chambers and Elise Ames each had eight kills apiece.
USM setter Sarah Bell nearly recorded a triple-double as she had eight kills, 48 assists and 11 digs.
In the backcourt, Mary Pursell led all players with 23 digs, while Shelby Russell chipped in with 18.
SET ONE: SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI 25, SOUTH ALABAMA 22South Alabama built as much as a three-point advantage (13-10) midway through the opening set after Hundt registered a kill, but the Golden Eagles would push across three-straight points and tie the set back up at 13-13 following an ace by Pursell.
USM then took its first lead of the match at 16-15 on a solo block by Johnson, her 21st of the season. The Golden Eagles later extended their lead out to 21-17 after a kill by Purdue, one of her six in the first set.
Coming out of a time out and trailing by four (22-18), the Jaguars answered back with three-straight points to narrow the deficit to 22-21 after a USM attack error.
Holding a one-point advantage two points later, the Golden Eagles would pick up the final two points of the frame to take the early lead in the match. Following a Jaguar ball-handling error, Bell and Johnson teamed up for a block to seal the 25-22 win for Southern Miss.
Both teams struggled offensively in the opening set with Southern Miss registering an .095 hitting percentage and USA only hitting .047.
SET TWO: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI 20Southern Miss jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the second set. Purdue had a pair of kills and Kylie Grandy dropped in an ace to give USM the early advantage.
Behind the play of Richardson, the Jaguars would battle back and eventually tie the set back up at 7-7. Richardson had three block assists during the run and her ace evened the set.
The two clubs would trade points until with the Golden Eagles leading 12-11, Meeks slammed home a kill to knot the set back up and ignite an 8-1 Jaguar run. USM would commit five attack errors during that same stretch to aid the South Alabama run. Richardson later capped off the scoring and gave USA a 19-13 lead with her second ace of the set.
The host would battle back and pull within two at 21-19 on another Purdue kill, her fifth of the set, to force a Jaguar time out. Coming out of the time out, South Alabama would quickly retake control and close out the set strong, ending the frame by picking up four of the final five points.
Daniel evened the match and clinched the 25-20 second-set win with a solo block. South Alabama's defense at the net would prove to be key in the second set as it finished with one solo block and 10 block assists. Richardson led the way at the net with five block assists, while Daniel had a solo block and a pair of block assists.
SET THREE: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI 22In the third set, South Alabama used a 4-1 spurt to extend its lead out to 13-9. USM would trim the deficit to one three points later following a kill by Ames, but USA answered back with three consecutive points to stretch its lead back out to 16-12. Daniel had a pair of kills to help the Jags take the four-point lead.
The Jaguars would hold the four-point advantage over the next several points, but the Golden Eagles would begin to rally back and chip away at the deficit. USM finally retook the lead (22-21) after a pair of kills and a block assists by Purdue.
Coming out of a time out though, the Jaguars would again respond and close strong, reeling off the final four points of the set. Gittens and Anderson each posted a kill around a USM attack error. Richardson and Daniel then sealed the win when the duo teamed up to turn back a Golden Eagle attack and give South Alabama the 25-22 victory.
SET FOUR: SOUTHERN MISS 25, SOUTH ALABAMA 22Trailing by a set in the match, Southern Miss led by as much as three early on in the fourth set. USM took a 10-7 advantage following a Jag attack error, but the South Alabama defense at the net would help lead the club back. Richardson and Meeks combined for a block to trim the deficit to one and on the next point, USA tied the set up at 11-11.
Sarah Bell later gave Southern Miss a 17-14 advantage when she dropped in an ace, but South Alabama would fight back and pull within one six more times until the Golden Eagles were able to hold set point at 24-21 on a Purdue kill. Two points later, Purdue recorded her sixth kill of the set and 21st of the night to even the match at a set apiece and give USM the 25-22 fourth-set victory.
SET FIVE: SOUTHERN MISS 15, SOUTH ALABAMA 8The Golden Eagles rattled off the first three points of the final set and led 6-2 after a Jaguar attack error.
The Jaguars would battle their way back and tie the set back up at 8-8 following a block assists by Gittens and Anderson, but from there, Southern Miss would close out the match on a 7-0 run. Purdue had three kills and a block during the run, while Ames also added a block and a pair of kills. Purdue clinched the set and the match with her 25th kill of the evening.
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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