Box Score (PDF)

ARLINGTON, Texas – The University of South Alabama volleyball team defeated Texas-Arlington in four sets (26-24, 25-15, 15-25, 25-23) Saturday in Sun Belt Conference action at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.

USA (7-5, 2-0 SBC) took the first two sets of the match, and sealed the victory with a 25-23 win in set four to earn its second consecutive SBC win. 

South Alabama will return to action next weekend when it hosts a pair of SBC matches at Jag Gym. USA will host Georgia State Fri., Sept. 29, at 6:30 p.m., followed by a 6:30 p.m. match with Georgia Southern on Sat., Sept. 30.

GAME FACTS
- USA faced a four-point deficit in set one when UTA held set point at 24-20, but scored six consecutive points to clinch the set at 26-24. 
- The Jaguars held a three-point lead early in the second set before going on a 6-0 scoring run to take a 12-3 lead. USA later clinched the set on block assists from Kristina Alabastro and Hannah Johnson. The Jags posted a .320 hitting percentage in set two.
- South Alabama posted a .306 hitting percentage in the final set, and was charged with just two errors in the set. 
- UTA finished with a .000 hitting percentage in the second set after posting eight kills along with eight errors. 

NOTES
- Ashlyn Roberts recorded her team-leading third double-double of the season with 20 assists and 12 digs, in addition to one service ace and a career-high four kills.
- Two Jaguars recorded double-figure kill totals:  Kelley Hartman (15) and Kristina Alabastro (12). 
- Hartman finished with a career-high 15 kills, along with a .448 hitting percentage, two service aces, three digs, one solo block and five block assists.
- In addition to her 12 kills, Alabastro posted a .289 hitting percentage, one assist, five digs, one solo block and two block assists.
- Parker Harrell finished one dig shy of a double-double, totaling 11 assists with nine digs along with two kills.
- Abby Baker recorded a game-high 22 digs in four sets along with eight assists.
- Saturday's win marked the program's second win all-time over UTA and snapped a five-game losing skid in the series. It marked the Jags' first over the Mavericks since 2013.


QUOTES
Head Coach Amy Hendrichovsky
- On the win:
"I thought UTA came out with a good game plan and played really well tonight. Our team pulling out that first set was very big. We were down, and coming back and winning that first set in their gym was very important and crucial to us winning this match tonight. I was proud of our girls for fighting back after being down. We controlled the entire second set, and I thought that was our best executed defensive set. I expected UTA to come out in the third set, and they came out and pushed us in that set. I didn't think our girls responded as well, but I thought we responded well in the fourth set and basically controlled it. I thought UTA played well, but I thought our team handled the pressure well in every set but the third. We'll use that as a learning moment moving forward."

- On Kelley Hartman's performance:
"Kelley is a leader and captain for our team. Their (UTA) game plan was to defend her. Some attackers can sort of feel that pressure and become uncomfortable, but Kelley really took the challenge and made herself comfortable even though they were still focused on defending her. For her to have a career-high in kills on a night where a team actually game planned to defend her shows how strong she is. She's just continuing to grow and gain confidence each weekend that we play. She is really using a growth mindset each weekend to get better."

- On opening conference play with two wins:
"It was good to pick up two wins in Texas against two teams that typically compete at the top of the conference. It was a good weekend, but we have to maintain focus and continue to get better every week. Now we are going to focus on our opponents for next weekend."

UP NEXT
South Alabama will return to action next weekend when it hosts a pair of SBC matches at Jag Gym. USA will host Georgia State Fri., Sept. 29, at 6:30 p.m., followed by a 6:30 p.m. match with Georgia Southern on Sat., Sept. 30.

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.