Box Score

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team defeated Little Rock in four sets (15-25, 25-16, 25-21, 26-24) Saturday in a Sun Belt Conference match at Jack Stephens Center.

South Alabama (13-9, 4-5 SBC) rallied from a 1-0 deficit in the match to earn its second consecutive win at Little Rock dating back to last season.

"We didn't execute very well in the first set. We came to play, we just weren't executing," USA head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said. "Once we settled down and focused on what we knew we needed to do to be successful, I was really happy with the play in sets two through four. I thought we really controlled those three sets. They (Little Rock) gave us a run at the end of set four, and I was happy for our girls' toughness to stay confident at the end of set four."

Mechell Daniel recorded her first double-double of the year with a season-high 20 kills and 13 digs. 

"Mechell had a phenomenal night," Hendrichovsky said. "Little Rock is ranked at the top of our conference in blocks, and I thought our setters did a really nice job of keeping our tempo and creating some good situations for her. She played really well; I was really happy with her."

Iva Durdanovic finished with 14 kills, four digs and one block assist, while Nikki Gittens added 10 kills and two block assists. Kellyn Reeves and Ashlyn Roberts finished with 28 and 25 assists, respectively, and Arissa Chappell posted a team-best 19 digs.

The Trojans opened the match with a 25-15 win in set one. But the Jaguars responded with a 25-16 win in set two, in which they hit .483 and posted 17 kills, to even the match 1-1.

USA opened the second set with a 3-0 lead following consecutive service aces from Alahna Diaz, who also finished with a career-high 13 digs in the match, and a Trojan attack error. After Little Rock scored to cut the Jaguar lead to 12-11 midway through the set, USA answered by scoring three straight points on kills by Gittens, Daniel and Kelley Hartman for a 15-11 advantage. South Alabama pushed its lead to seven points, 20-13, later in the set on three consecutive kills by Sarah Richardson. A kill by Gittens later in the set gave the Jags set point at 24-16, and Daniel followed with a kill to clinch the set and even the match at one set apiece.

South Alabama took a 2-1 lead in the match with a 25-21 win in set three. With the score tied 13-13, the Jaguars reeled off six straight points, highlighted by a pair of kill by Kristina Alabastro and a kill by Daniel, to take a 19-13 lead. USA earned set point, 24-21, later in the set on a kill by Daniel, and a service ace by Roberts clinched the set fort the Jags.

South Alabama sealed the victory with a 26-24 win in set four. The Jaguars held their biggest lead of the set, six points, midway through with a 16-10 advantage. USA earned match point, 24-19, following a kill by Daniel. But the Trojans answered with five straight points to tie the score 24-24. However, Alabastro responded with back-to-back kills to clinch the match for USA.

Edina Selimovic finished with 14 kills to lead the Little Rock (9-14, 5-5 SBC) attack, while Marina Avram, Veronica Marin and Miona Milovanovic added 11 kills apiece.

South Alabama will return to action Tue., Oct. 25, at 6 p.m. in a SBC match against Troy in Troy, Ala.

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).