MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team will open Sun Belt Conference play with a pair of matches this weekend at Jag Gym.

USA (9-4) will host Texas-Arlington (6-9) at 6:30 p.m. Friday, and will host Texas State (7-8) at 12:30 p.m. Sunday. Both matches will be streamed live through JagNationTV.com, while live stats will be available at USAJaguars.com.

South Alabama leads the SBC in hitting percentage (.253), ranks third in kills per set (12.90) and assists per set (12.08) and is fifth in service aces per set (1.47). Sarah Richardson ranks third in the league in hitting percentage (.364), and Iva Durdanovic – the reigning SBC Offensive and Freshman Player of the Week – ranks third in service aces per set (0.38) and seventh in kills per set (2.98). Abby Baker, who was voted the SBC Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, ranks third in the conference in digs per set (4.51).

USA, which won two of three matches last weekend at the Bulldog Invitational in Athens, Ga., enters the weekend 4-0 at Jag Gym this season while UTA is 0-4 on the road. Texas State (7-8), who will open league play at Troy Friday evening, enters the weekend with a 2-2 record in road matches. 

UTA ranks third in the SBC in digs per set (15.50), fourth in blocks per set (2.28), seventh in hitting percentage (.186), 10th in assists per set (10.64), kills per set (11.75) and service aces per set (1.02). Texas State enters the weekend ranked third in the conference in blocks per set (2.34), fourth in hitting percentage (.211) and kills per set (12.50), fifth in assists per set (11.65), eighth in service aces per set (1.20) and 11th in digs per set (12.78).

UTA holds a 6-1 all-time series lead over USA, and has won the last four meetings between the schools dating back to 2013.  Texas State holds a 5-2 all-time series lead over the Jaguars after winning two of three matches last year. USA defeated the Bobcats in Mobile, but TXST defeated the Jags in San Marcos, Texas, as well as in the SBC Tournament in Statesboro, Ga.

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).