Matches 7-9: Jaguar Invitational Tournament Notes (.pdf)
Jaguar Invitational Tournament Central

MOBILE, Ala. – After playing the first two weekends of the 2015 season on the road, the University of South Alabama volleyball team returns home this weekend to host the Jaguar Invitational.  

"We are very excited to have the opportunity to play in Jaguar Gym this weekend and host three respectable teams," South Alabama head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said.  "Anytime you can compete at home and have the advantage of fans it creates a supportive and fun atmosphere.  Our Red and Blue scrimmage last month had a great turnout and we hope to see those fans back supporting us this weekend as we have our home season opener.  

USA will take on Houston Baptist on Friday night with first serve versus the Huskies set for 6:30 p.m. at Jag Gym.  South Alabama will then host McNeese State on Saturday at 1 p.m., and then face Samford at 6:30 p.m. later that night.

South Alabama comes into its home tournament with a 2-4 record on the young season.  This past weekend, the Jags finished with a 1-2 record at the Bruiser Showcase in Nashville, Tenn.  USA defeated tournament host Belmont in four sets on Friday, but lost to both Memphis (3-0) and UTEP (3-2).

While the record wasn't the one she was hoping for, Hendrichovsky did see improvement in the team from the opening week of the season.

"From this past weekend, we played our most complete match against Belmont – from the start of the match to the end of the match we played our style of volleyball," Hendrichovsky stated.  "We swarmed them with our communication and competed every point.  Right now, we have poured our focus into consistent play, learning to approach every rally with equal importance and to bring a focused mindset to the gym each day.  We intend to put a team on the court that will compete consistently until it becomes a habit.  Unfortunately, we didn't do that in our matches versus Memphis and UTEP.  With Belmont winning the tournament and their only loss to us, we know we are close.  

"Overall, we were two points away from finishing this weekend with a better feeling.  We plan to grind it out this week and continue to push this team.  As a staff, we were pleased with improvements in our blocking and defense, as well as seeing some of our athletes step up when faced with some adversity."

Mechell Daniel continues to pace the club offensively with 75 kills.  The junior opposite side hitter is averaging 3.00 kills per set, which ranks ninth in the Sun Belt.  She also has 38 digs and 12 total blocks.  

In her last outing, junior middle blocker Sarah Richardson recorded her first career double-double, finishing with career-highs in both kills (11) and blocks (10).  Her 10 blocks tied for fifth-most in a match by a Jag and were tied for fourth most in a five-set match.  Richardson is tied for ninth in the SBC with Georgia State's Eliza Zachary, averaging 1.00 bps.

Against UTEP, USA finished with 17.0 total blocks.  The 17.0 blocks tied for fifth-most in program history, the last time coming vs. Arkansas State on Oct. 4, 2013.  As a team, South Alabama has 48.5 total blocks and is averaging nearly two per set (1.94).  

Freshman Arissa Chappell moved into the starting libero role over the weekend and had three solid outings.  At the Belmont tournament, Chappell averaged 4.33 digs per set, while as a team, the Jaguars averaged 17.42 dps.  Chappell now leads the club with 3.04 digs per set on the season.  Chappell had a season-high 23 digs in her last outing, 10 coming in the first set versus UTEP on Saturday.

USA posted 93 digs in the match.  The 93 digs also tied for fifth-most on the all-time charts at South Alabama – vs. Troy (9/21/02) – and were the most since the 2012 season when the Jags had 98 in a five-set match at Georgia State (9/8/12).

Houston Baptist comes into the Jaguar Invitational holding a 4-3 mark.  The Huskies opened the 2015 season with four-straight wins, but lost all three of its matches over the weekend at the Lumberjack Classic hosted by Northern Arizona.  HBU fell to UNA (3-0), Loyola Marymount (3-2) and Liberty (3-1) at the tournament.  

Jessica Wooten leads the club in both kills (80 – 3.33 per set) and digs (65 – 2.71).  She is hitting .244 and has a team-high 15 service aces.

The Huskies are hitting .240 as a team and holding their opponents to a .169 attack percentage.

Bailey Banks and Melissa Fuchs are also a threat offensively for HBU as the duo is averaging 2.32 and 2.27 kills per set, respectively.  

Middle blockers Blair Gillard and Allison Doerpinghaus pace the club defensively at the net.  Gillard leads the team with 21 total blocks, while Doerpinghaus has 18 on the year.  

As a team, Houston Baptist is averaging just under two blocks per set, entering play this week with 1.92 per set.

McNeese State enters play this week with a 1-4 overall record.  The Cowgirls have faced a tough schedule so far this season as their losses have come to Arkansas, Kansas, Ole Miss and Army.  MSU picked up a 3-2 victory last week defeating Tennessee-Martin in Oxford, Miss.

Sophomore outside hitter Rae Myers is the lone player averaging over two kills per set for the Cowgirls.  Myers leads the club with 57 kills and is averaging 3.00 per set.  

Offensively, McNeese is averaging 9.68 kills per set and hitting .131 through five matches, while its opponents are averaging 13.32 kills per set and hitting .273.

Bridget Justis' 3.63 digs per set average is tops on the Cowgirl squad.  Freshman Monica Hudgins leads the team with 14 total blocks.

Samford enters play this week with a 2-2 record.  The Bulldogs evened their record over the weekend with a five-set win over at Tennessee State.

Sophomore outside hitter Kate Neisler leads the team offensively with 3.80 kills per set.  After missing the first week of action, Neisler made her season debut over the weekend versus the Tigers, recording 19 kills and 11 digs while hitting .302.

The Bulldogs also have three other players averaging just under three kills per set – Erin Bognar (2.92), Krista Boesing (2.67) and Emily Meitz (2.46).  Boesing had 17 kills versus Tennessee State and Meitz added 14 in the win.

Sophomore libero Morgan St. Germain has been outstanding in the back court for Samford this season.  She currently leads the club with 4.56 digs per set.  St. Germain is coming off a 21 dig performance versus TSU on Saturday.

Samford ranks third in the SoCon in kills (12.94) and fourth in the league in digs (15.56).

Jaguar Invitational Schedule
Friday, September 11
McNeese State vs. Samford – 4 p.m.
Houston Baptist vs. South Alabama – 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, September 12
Samford vs. Houston Baptist – 10:30 a.m.
McNeese State vs. South Alabama – 1 p.m.
McNeese State vs. Houston Baptist – 4 p.m.
Samford vs. South Alabama – 6:30 p.m.

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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