Box Score

STATESBORO, Ga. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team fell to Georgia Southern in five sets (17-25, 25-14, 24-26, 25-22, 14-16) in Sun Belt Conference action Friday at Hanner Fieldhouse.

The Eagles jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the fifth set, and eventually extended their advantage to 13-6. But South Alabama (9-7, 0-3 SBC) answered with six straight points, which featured kills by Kristina Alabastro and Mechell Daniel, to cut its deficit to one point at 13-12. The Jaguars scored back-to-back points on a Georgia Southern match point with a kill by Alabastro and an Eagle attack error to tie the score 14-14. But consecutive kills by Stephanie Spencer clinched the set and match for Georgia Southern (9-9, 2-1 SBC).

Katie Bange recorded a triple-double with a game-high 18 kills, 18 assists and 10 digs to lead the Eagles. Georgia Southern finished with 89 team digs after five different players posted double-figure dig totals, led by Alex Beecher's 23. 

Jaguar freshman Kelley Hartman finished with career highs in kills (11) and total blocks (9) to lead USA. Ashlyn Roberts recorded her second career double-double with a game-high 25 assists and 12 digs. Iva Durdanovic added 10 kills, eight digs and four block assists, and Sarah Richardson finished with eight kills and a season-high eight blocks. Abby Baker added a team-high 20 digs in five sets.

"It was another hard-fought match, and our team battled to the last whistle," USA head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said. "To be down 6-13 in the fifth set and come back and tie it up shows the character of our team. We had the opportunity to control the match, but couldn't quite grab it. We have a quick turnaround, and need to prepare for our match tomorrow at Georgia State."

USA forced a fifth set after taking set four 25-22. The Jags built a five-point lead, 19-14, before the Eagles scored four of the next five points to cut the USA advantage to 20-18. Georgia Southern cut the USA lead to one point, 22-21, following a kill by Megan Chevalier. But a kill by Daniel and an Eagle attack error pushed the Jaguar advantage to three and force a set point at 24-21. Chevalier followed with a kill, but Nikki Gittens answered with a kill to clinch the set for the Jaguars.

Georgia Southern opened the match with a 25-17 win in set one after posting 17 kills, led by Lauren Reichard's five, and a .517 team hitting percentage. But South Alabama responded with a 25-14 win in the second set to tie the match 1-1.

The Eagles held a 3-2 lead early in set two before the Jags rallied for eight straight points, which featured six Eagle attack errors and kills by Durdanovic and Hartman, to take a 10-3 lead. USA pushed its lead to nine points, 21-12, later in the set after five consecutive Eagle errors. A kill by Durdanovic gave USA set point at 24-14, and an Eagle attack error sealed the set for USA.

Georgia Southern took the third set 26-24 to take a 2-1 lead in the match. The Eagles held a 13-12 lead midway through the set before the Jaguars reeled off five straight points, highlighted by a pair of kills from Durdanovic, to take a 17-13 lead. USA held a 23-20 lead late in the set, but Georgia Southern scored four consecutive points to take a 24-23 lead and force set point. An Eagle service error tied the score 24-24, but consecutive kills by Bange clinched the set for the Eagles.

USA will return to action Saturday when it faces Georgia State at GSU Sports Arena in an SBC contest in Atlanta at 5 p.m. (CT). Live stats and live stream for the match will be available at GeorgiaStateSports.com, as well as through the Jaguar volleyball schedule page at USAJaguars.com.

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).