MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team will close the road portion of its regular-season schedule with a pair of Sun Belt Conference matches this weekend.

USA (14-6, 9-1 SBC) will kick off the weekend with a 5:30 p.m. (CT) match with Appalachian State on Fri., Oct. 27, at Holmes Convocation Center in Boone, N.C. The Jags will then travel to Conway, S.C., to square off with Coastal Carolina at 11:30 a.m. (CT) on Sun., Oct. 29. Links for live streaming and live stats are available through the Jaguar schedule page at USAJaguars.com.

South Alabama enters the weekend having won nine of its last 10 matches, and tied with CCU for the SBC East Division lead. The Jaguars suffered their first conference loss of the season last Sunday to Arkansas State at Jag Gym. USA is 7-4 on the road this season, and carries a five-game road winning streak into Friday's match at App State.

The Jaguars lead the SBC in blocks per set (2.77), rank second in opponent hitting percentage (.160) and fourth in hitting percentage (.210) and service aces per set (1.29). Kelley Hartman leads the league in blocks per set (1.38), and ranks sixth in hitting percentage (.321). Abby Baker ranks seventh in digs per set (4.13).

In SBC matches, the Jaguars lead the league in blocks per set (3.09), rank second in opponent hitting percentage (.149), and third in hitting percentage (.247) and service aces per set (1.17). Hartman ranks second in hitting percentage (.386), third in blocks per set (1.29) and fifth in service aces per set (0.31) in conference matches. Freshman Morgan Stalcup ranks second in blocks per set (1.42) in SBC matches, while Baker ranks 10th in digs per set (4.06) in league contests.

App State (8-16, 3-7 SBC) enters Friday's match with the Jags just 1-8 at home this season, with its lone victory coming over Georgia Southern on Oct. 8. The Mountaineers defeated ULM last Saturday in Monroe, La., to snap a three-game losing streak. App enters the weekend tied with Troy and Georgia Southern for third place in the SBC East Division. The Mountaineers rank last in SBC in opponent hitting percentage (.233) and service aces per set (0.95); however, they rank fourth in kills per set (13.45) and assists per set (12.62) in SBC matches this year. 

CCU (12-7, 9-1 SBC) carries a six-game winning streak into the weekend. The Chanticleers will face Troy on Friday before hosting the Jaguars on Sunday. CCU is 4-1 at home this season, and has won three straight matches in Conway. The Chanticleers lead the SBC in hitting percentage (.236), and rank third in assists per set (12.34) and kills per set (13.08).  In SBC matches, CCU ranks second in hitting percentage (.251), assists per set (12.77) and service aces per set (1.30), and third in opponent hitting percentage (.156), kills per set (13.55) and digs per set (16.38).

CCU's Leah Hardeman, the SBC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and 2016 Co-Offensive Player of the Year, leads the league in hitting percentage (.413) and kills per set (4.56). In SBC matches, Hardeman leads the conference in kills per set (5.00), and ranks sixth in hitting percentage (.326). 

The all-time series between App State and South Alabama is tied at 3-3 entering Friday's contest. USA won both meetings between the schools last season, including a five-set win in Boone. CCU holds a 2-1 all-time series lead over USA after sweeping both matches in straight sets last year. The Jags' lone win over the Chanticleers came in 2000 in Myrtle Beach, S.C. 

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with USAJaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at Twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Rally Score Club, the volleyball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All donations to the Rally Score Club go directly to support the South Alabama volleyball program. For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/rallyscoreclub.