Box score

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team defeated Southern Mississippi in five sets (28-26, 23-25, 25-17, 23-25, 15-7) Tuesday at Jag Gym.

USA (6-1) held a 3-2 lead early in the fifth set before a four-point rally, highlighted by kills from Kelley Hartman, Iva Durdanovic and Kristina Alabastro, pushed its advantage to 7-2. USM (6-2) cut its deficit to 7-3 on a kill by Stephany Purdue, who finished with a game-high 21 kills, but another four-point Jaguar rally that featured a service ace and kill by Durdanovic and kill by Mechell Daniel extended the USA advantage to 11-3. The Jaguars would go on to score the final three points of the match on a kill by Nikki Gittens and consecutive kills by Daniel.

"Southern Miss had some big wins last weekend, and I knew it would be two teams that would battle," USA head coach Amy Hendrichovsky said. "Our team really wanted it, and you could see that in set five. We are playing well as a team, but I have been telling the team that we can't be satisfied; we always have to be pushing for that next match. We still have room to improve and we still have things we're working on, but right now we're playing confidently and together and it's fun."

Durdanovic recorded her team-leading third double-double after finishing with career high totals in kills (16) and digs (17) while also adding a block assist and two service aces. Daniel finished with 14 kills, four digs and one block assist, while Gittens added 10 kills, two block solos and three block assists. Hartman finished with a career-high 10 kills, along with two assists, one dig and three block assists. Alabastro tied a season high with 10 kills, and also had one dig and one block assist. Abby Baker finished with a season-high 21 digs along with five assists and one service ace. Kellyn Reeves recorded 27 assists and eight digs, while Ashlyn Roberts finished with 23 assists and three digs.

The Jaguars took a 1-0 lead in the match after a 28-26 win in set one. South Alabama opened up a six-point lead midway through a tightly-contested set for a 17-11 advantage following a pair of kills each by Hartman and Durdanovic. Southern Miss tied the score three different times facing set point, but kills by Alabastro and Daniel closed the set 28-26.

The Golden Eagles responded for a 25-23 win in set two to tie the match 1-1. USA held a 23-22 lead late in the set after a kill by Hartman. But USM went on to score the final three points of the set following a service error by Daniel, a kill by Chanel Joyce and attack error by Hartman.

South Alabama took a 2-1 advantage in the match with a 25-17 win in set three. The Jaguars used a seven-point run to take a 10-point lead in the set. USA held a 12-9 lead before a kill by Daniel kicked off the run. Arissa Chappell then delivered a service ace, followed by kills from Durdanovic and Hartman. Three straight USM attack errors pushed the USA lead to 19-9. The Jags went on to close out the set on a kill by Gittens.

USM forced a fifth set after taking set four 25-23. The Golden Eagles built a six-point lead at 19-13 late in the set, but South Alabama reeled off six straight points, highlighted by three kills from Daniel, to tie the score 19-19. A kill by Gittens later in the set tied the score 23-23, but consecutive kills by Purdue claimed the set for USM.

USA extended its winning streak to four matches with the win. The Jaguars will return to action this weekend at the Homewood Suites Classic, hosted by Florida Gulf Coast, in Fort Myers, Fla. USA will open the tournament Fri., Sept. 9, at 9 a.m. (CT) against Marist.

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).