Box Score (PDF)

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team defeated Georgia State in four sets (25-18, 26-28, 25-17, 25-18) Friday in the Jaguars' Sun Belt Conference home opener at Jag Gym.

USA (8-5, 3-0 SBC) remained unbeaten in SBC play with the win, which marked its third straight victory as well as its third consecutive win at Jag Gym. The Jaguars have won five of their last six matches dating back to a Sept. 9 win over Clemson in Auburn, Ala., and are 8-2 in their last 10 contests.

South Alabama will return to action Saturday when it hosts Georgia Southern at 6:30 p.m. at Jag Gym. The match will be streamed live and available for free through JagNationTV.com. Live stats for the match will also be available through the multimedia section of USAJaguars.com.

GAME FACTS
- USA used a 5-0 scoring run early in the opening set to take a 10-7 lead. 
- Later in the first set, the Jags built a 23-17 lead on a 3-0 run. GSU answered with a point to cut its deficit to 23-18, but USA responded with back-to-back points on a kills by Kelley Hartman and Kristina Alabastro to clinch the opening set.
- South Alabama faced a 7-5 deficit early in the second set, but went on a 5-0 scoring run to take a 10-7 lead.
- Georgia State earned set point in the second set on a kill Sydney Stroud to take a 24-23 lead. USA responded with a kill by Alabastro to tie the score at 24-24. After the teams swapped points to knot the score at 25-25, a kill by Hannah Harris gave USA set point at 26-25. Georgia State tied the score at 26-26 on a Jaguar error, and earned set point on a kill by Crystal Lee. The Panthers evened the match on a second kill by Lee for a 28-26 win in set two.
- USA clinched the third set by scoring six of the final seven points in the set, including the final three, highlighted by kills from Hannah Harris, Iva Durdanovic, Katelyn Lochner and Alabastro for a 25-18 win to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
- The Jags used a 6-0 scoring run midway through the fourth set to take a 16-7 lead. 
- South Alabama posted a .270 team hitting percentage – its highest percentage in SBC play this season.

NOTES
- Alabastro and Durdanovic finished with a game-high 13 kills apiece. Alabastro recorded her double-double of the season with 13 kills and 15 digs in addition to two block assists, one assist and three service aces. Durdanovic added six digs, two solo blocks, one block assist and one assist along with a .294 hitting percentage. 
- Hartman recorded 10 kills, a .429 hitting percentage, one service ace, three digs, one solo block and three block assists.
- USA totaled 10 blocks in the match, marking the sixth consecutive match it has recorded 10 or more total team blocks.
- Katelyn Lochner tied a career high with nine kills, along with a .318 hitting percentage, three digs and two block assists.
- Ashlyn Roberts led the Jags with 27 assists and also recorded eight digs and two service aces, while Parker Harrell added 18 assists and nine digs. 
- Abby Baker recorded a game-high 20 digs along with one kill and two assists.

QUOTES
Head Coach Amy Hendrichovsky
- On the win:
"I give credit to Georgia State, I thought they played really well. Their defense was one of the best we have played in a while, and I thought it really challenged us offensively. We really focused on our offense this week, and it was good to see our girls execute what we focused on. Energy-wise we lost some momentum in the second set being up and I take some blame for that, but it was good for us to face that adversity in the home court and I'm glad our girls fought through it."

- On the attack:
"We have numerous weapons, and I think we had a balanced offense. Early on in the beginning of the match, we relied on two people. We talked about that and were able to execute. We had multiple people in double-digit attempts and double-digit kills, which is kudos to our setters; they did a good job running our offense tonight."

- On looking ahead to Georgia Southern:
"We know what we're focusing on right now as a team and what we want to execute, and if our girls stay process-oriented and continue to execute what we're talking about executing on the court then we'll be successful. Georgia Southern is a good team, and I look for them to come in here and push us as well."

UP NEXT
South Alabama will return to action Saturday when it hosts Georgia Southern at 6:30 p.m. at Jag Gym. The match will be streamed live and available for free through JagNationTV.com. Live stats for the match will also be available through the multimedia section of USAJaguars.com.

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.