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ARLINGTON, Texas – No. 3 Texas State defeated No. 6 University of South Alabama volleyball in straight sets (25-22, 25-21, 25-18) Friday in the opening round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament at College Park Center.

Jaliyah Bolden led Texas State (21-11) with a game-high 16 kills and .429 hitting percentage, while Lauren Kirch added 11 kills. Iva Durdanovic led USA (16-14) with nine kills, and also added one service ace and two digs. Sarah Richardson and Kristina Alabastro finished with eight block-assists each to lead a Jaguar defense that posted 11 ½ team blocks in the match. Kellyn Reeves recorded 13 assists and five digs, and Ashlyn Roberts added 10 assists and three digs. 

"I would say overall it wasn't our best effort," USA head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said. "I know we are a better team than we showed tonight. But Texas State is a good team and it was their day today. I wish them luck moving forward."

The Bobcats jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the match after taking set one 25-22. Texas State scored six of the first seven points of the match to take an early 6-1 lead. South Alabama rallied late in the set to cut the Bobcat lead to one point, 18-17, after a kill by Nikki Gittens. But Texas State earned set point on a kill by Kelsey Weynand for a 24-21 advantage, and clinched the opening set on a kill from Lauren Kirch. Mechell Daniel and Durdanovic led USA with three kills apiece in the opening set, while Bolden paced the Bobcats with five.

TXST took an 8-3 lead early in the second set after scoring five consecutive points, which featured three kills by Lauren Kirch. The Bobcats used another five-point run later in the set, highlighted by a pair of service aces from Weynand, for a 22-14 advantage. Texas State earned set point, 24-20, on a kill by Erin Hoppe. Following a kill by Iva Durdanovic, the Bobcats sealed the set with a kill by Bolden. Alabastro led the Jaguars with five kills in set two, followed by four from Durdanovic. Bolden and Kirch led Texas State with five kills each in the second set.

Texas State clinched the match with a 25-18 win in set three. The Bobcats scored 10 of the first 11 points in the set to jump out to a 10-1 lead. USA pulled to within three points, 20-17, late in the set following a Bobcat attack error. But Texas State earned set point on a kill by Bolden, and sealed the match on a service ace from Shelby Vas Matt. Durdanovic, Gittens and Kelley Hartman led the Jags with two kills apiece in the final set, while Bolden capped the match with six kills in set three.

"We had four incredible seniors so that is the hard part tonight," Hendrichovsky said. "But we did have a lot of newcomers on the court, and I think they helped us do some really good things for the program this year. We broke a lot of records for South Alabama volleyball, and I'm really happy that the seniors were able to help do that for us this year. I took over about five years ago and we really had to change the culture. These girls really helped with the buy-in and the discipline over the course of the last few years, and we have just developed a really strong culture. We have very high character and a high-value group of girls in that locker room, and I'm looking forward to seeing what we can do next year."

South Alabama closed its season with the most program wins (16) since the 1994 squad won 17 matches. The Jaguars closed the regular season with the program's best finish (T-2nd in East Division) after opening the season with the best start (7-1) since 1980. USA recorded its highest team attack percentage (.225) since 1987 when the Jags hit .236 as a team. The 2016 squad is the first USA team to finish with a winning record since the 1995 team posted a 14-12 mark.

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).