Box Score

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team defeated Georgia State in straight sets (25-23, 25-19, 25-18) in a Sun Belt Conference match Friday at Jag Gym.

It marked the second straight win for USA (11-8, 2-4 SBC), and the second consecutive straight-sets win over an SBC opponent. The Jaguars recorded a .350 team hitting percentage in the match, led by Mechell Daniel who finished with a game-high 10 kills along with three digs and one block assist. Nikki Gittens added nine kills and hit .412 while also recording one dig and one block assist. Kristina Alabastro finished with eight kills, three digs and two block assists. Iva Durdanovic added seven kills, nine digs and one block assist. Ashlyn Roberts and Kellyn Reeves finished with 18 assists apiece.

The Jaguars took the opening set of the match 25-23. GSU (7-11, 3-4 SBC) tied the score 23-23 on a Jaguar attack error. Following a USA timeout, the Jags forced set point on a kill by Daniel, and clinched the set on a Panther attack error.

South Alabama took a 2-0 lead in the match with a 25-19 win in set two. The Jaguars held a two-point lead, 16-14, midway through the set before reeling off four straight points, highlighted by kills by Roberts and Gittens, for a 20-14 advantage. A kill by Kelley Hartman later in the set gave USA set point at 24-19, and a kill by Daniel clinched the set for South Alabama.

The Jaguars won the match with a 25-18 win in set three. With the score tied at 13, USA scored four straight points on a pair of GSU attack errors and kills by Alabastro and Daniel to take a 17-13 lead. The Panthers cut the Jaguar lead to three points, 19-16, late in the set, but South Alabama scored four consecutive points on a pair of kills by Durdanovic, and one kill each from Alabastro and Gittens, to take a 23-16 lead. Kills by Gittens gave the Jaguars set and match point.

"Georgia State played really well the last time we played them," USA head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said. "We really focused on some things the last two weeks, and it was nice to see our team get back to the way we were playing. I thought we executed well and played well. The only part of our game that wasn't good was serving, but we were aggressive; I like that we were able to maintain and still be aggressive even though we were making errors. But attack-wise, defensively and blocking-wise, I thought we played a much better, complete and disciplined game than we did the last time we played them."

Kristina Stinson led the Panthers will nine kills, while Crystal Lee finished with eight kills and five digs.

South Alabama will return to action Saturday when it hosts Georgia Southern at 6:30 p.m. in a SBC contest at Jag Gym.

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).