Box Score - UTEP 3, South Alabama 2 (.pdf)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Three players recorded a double-double Saturday afternoon versus UTEP, but it wasn't enough as the University of South Alabama volleyball team fell 3-2 (25-19, 17-25, 26-24, 20-25, 14-16) to the Miners at the Bruiser Showcase held at the Curb Event Center on Saturday.  

Sarah Richardson recorded career highs in kills 11, blocks (10), block assists (8) and hitting percentage (.588), while Mechell Daniel also finished the match with 10 kills and 13 digs.  Sophomore setter Emma Anderson added 40 assists and a career-best 18 digs in the loss.  The last time USA had three players record a double-double in the same match was at Western Kentucky on Nov. 15, 2013.

South Alabama (2-4) will return home to host the Jaguar Invitational next weekend.  The Jaguars will open up tournament action versus Houston Baptist with first serve versus the Huskies set for 6:30 p.m. at Jag Gym.

Freshman outside hitter Kristina Alabastro also ended the match in double figures offensively with 11 kills of her own to go along with six digs and eight block assists.  As a team, South Alabama recorded 17.0 total blocks – three solo and 28 assists – tying for fifth-most in a match in program history.  The last time USA had 17.0 blocks in a match was back on Oct. 4, 2013 vs. Arkansas State.  

The Jaguars also placed four players in double figures in the digs category, led by Arissa Chappell's 23.  Along with Daniel, Anderson and Chappell, Emily Hundt finished with 17 digs.  As a team, South Alabama recorded 93 digs in the match, which tied for fifth-most in a match in program history.

UTEP (2-4) used a balanced offensive attack versus the Jaguars as five players ended the match in double digits.  Dalinee Perry led the club with 16 kills and 12 digs.  Coline Coessens also carded a double-double in the win with 14 kills and 18 digs.  Talia Jones chipped in with 15 kills of her own, while Maddie Morgan had 13 and Kylie Baumgartner added 20.  Morgan also ended the match with a .480 hitting percentage and eight total blocks.

As a team, the Miners registered 104 digs, led by 31 from Ashley Peak.

SET ONE: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, UTEP 19
The Jaguars trailed by two early on in the opening set, but Alabastro and Richardson sparked a 6-0 run for USA.  After an attack error and a bad set by the Miners, Richardson and Alabastro each recorded a kill and then the Jag duo combined for a pair of blocks to put South Alabama up 7-3.

With the Jags leading by five (12-7), UTEP rallied back and used a 6-1 run over the next seven points to tie the set back up at 13-13.  Morgan knotted things up with a kill.

Daniel quickly helped South Alabama regain control as the junior slammed home back-to-back kills to give USA the next two points.

Still leading by two (17-15), USA gained some breathing room as it pushed across four-straight points to take a 21-15 lead.

South Alabama took the early lead in the match after Nikki Gittens and Emma Anderson each recorded a kill to seal the 25-19 victory.

The Jaguar defense came up big as it recorded 29 digs in the set led by 10 from Chappell.

SET TWO: UTEP 25, SOUT ALABAMA 17
The Jags held an 8-7 lead following an ace by Richardson, but led by the play of Coessens, the Miners would regain control and pick up seven of the next nine points.  Coessens had three of her four kills in the frame during the run and Jones gave UTEP the 14-10 advantage with her seventh kill of the match.

USA would pull as close as two on five occasions over the next several points, but holding a 19-17 advantage, UTEP closed the set strong, rattling off the final six points.  The Miners evened the match at a set apiece with the 25-17 win.  Perry was instrumental in the run as she had four kills on the final four points for UTEP and ended the frame with six put aways.

UTEP recorded 21 kills and hit .341 in the second set, while South Alabama managed just four kills of its own and hit .033.

SET THREE: SOUTH ALABAMA 26, UTEP 24
Tied at 11-11 in the third set, Richardson held the Jags take a two-point lead as the junior middle blocker recorded a solo block and a kill.   

With USA leading by three (17-14) following Daniel's fourth kill of the set, UTEP's Jones ignited a run of five unanswered points for the Miners.  Coessens also added a pair of kills during the scoring spurt and UTEP took a 19-17 lead.

South Alabama answered right back with four-straight points to retake the lead.  Daniel slammed home another kill to begin the scoring for the Jags and Richardson later capped off the mini run with her eighth kill of the match.

The Jaguars held set point at 24-22 following a block assists by Richardson and Daniel, but the Miners pushed across the next two points and tied the contest up on an ace by Perry.

Daniel would come up big for the Jags in extra points as she recorded her sixth and seventh kills of the set to clinch the 26-24 win for South Alabama.

SET FOUR: UTEP 25, SOUTH ALABAMA 20
In the fourth set, UTEP broke a 9-9 tie as the Miners picked up four of the next five points.  A kill by Coessens gave the Miners a 13-10 advantage.

South Alabama narrowed the gap to one four points later on a solo block by Daniel, but with UTEP later holding a 16-15 lead, the Miners widened their lead as they pushed across four unanswered points and took a 20-15 lead on a kill by Morgan.  Morgan also had two block assists during the run.

Perry later clinched the 25-20 fourth-set win and evened the match back up with her fifth kill of the set and 14th of the match.

SET FIVE: UTEP 16, SOUTH ALABAMA 14
In the fifth and final set, the Jaguars held a 6-5 lead following a kill by Anderson, but UTEP didn't let South Alabama hold the lead long as it reeled off the next five points with five different players recording a kill.  Morgan put the Miners up 10-5 with a kill.

South Alabama trimmed the deficit to 12-10 following a kill by Alabastro and an ace by Alex Davis, but the Miners would push their lead back out and hold match point after a Jones putaway.

The Jags fought off three-straight match points tying the set back up at 14-14 after a kill by Daniel, but UTEP went on to pick up the final two points of the match to capture the win.  Baumgartner had a kill and a block assists to clinch the victory.

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—