Box Score (PDF)

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team swept Alabama State in straight sets (25-22, 25-17, 31-29) Tuesday at Lockhart Gymnasium.

USA (3-3) extended its winning streak to three games with the victory, and extended its winning streak in the ASU series to 18 matches. The Jaguars posted a season-high .337 hitting percentage in Tuesday's win. Kristina Alabastro led the Jaguar attack with 10 kills, followed by Kelley Hartman and Hannah Harris with nine apiece. 

South Alabama will return to action this weekend with a pair of matches at the War Eagle Invitational at Auburn Arena in Auburn, Ala. The Jags will square off with Auburn at 6 p.m. Friday, followed by a noon matchup with Clemson on Saturday. 

GAME FACTS
- Tuesday's win marked the Jaguars' second straight-sets victory of the season after USA defeated McNeese State in three sets last weekend.
- South Alabama recorded 15 kills and hit .333 in the second set, followed by 19 kills and a .444 attack percentage in the final set. 
- USA overcame a seven-point deficit (15-8) midway through the final set, scoring eight of nine points during one stretch to tie the score at 16-16. ASU built a three-point lead, 23-20, later in the set, but the Jags responded with three consecutive points via a kill by Hartman and back-to-back service aces from Abby Baker to tie the score at 23. USA clinched the match on a kill by Hartman and a Hornet attack error.
- The Jaguars' four total team blocks tied for their lowest mark of the season after recording four blocks in last weekend's matchup with Alabama.
- Alabama State posted a .385 hitting percentage in the final set after not hitting above .118 in either of the first two sets of the match. 

NOTES
- Alabastro led the Jaguars with 10 kills, and also added one assist, seven digs and one block assist.
- Freshman Hannah Harris finished with a career-high nine kills and posted a .500 hitting percentage in 16 total attacks while also adding one block assist.
- Hartman added nine kills, a .316 hitting percentage, one solo block and one block assist. Iva Durdanovic finished with eight kills and six digs.
- Ashlyn Roberts and Parker Harrell tied for the team lead in assists with 15 each. 
- Baker led the team with 12 digs, while also adding four assists, three service aces and one kill. 
- USA finished with 46 kills in three sets for a .337 hitting percentage. 

QUOTES
Head Coach Amy Hendrichovsky
On the balanced attack:
"We definitely had a more balanced attack. We were able to get Hannah Harris in the offense; she had a great night tonight. We were able to have high efficiency, serving multiple attackers instead of relying heavily on our outsides or Kelley (Hartman). It was nice to be able to distribute the ball more evenly, and I thought our setters did a really good job of making things better tonight and being able to execute our game plan."

On the third set:
"The third set was exactly what I thought we would get. I really felt like they (Alabama State) would come out fighting, because we took care of business pretty easily in the second set. I told our team that they (ASU) were going to come out and fight for that third set in their home gym, and they did. They came out ahead really early and we had to fight out of a hole, and I was really happy with our team's composure. We didn't make it easy – I think we had just three missed serves down the stretch. But I called a timeout, and after that we really executed well. Everyone was very focused on their job and maintained composure at the end of that set when we were going back and forth for points to win. The environment in this gym was awesome. It's a small gym with a very good, loud crowd; it was a perfect environment for us to get exposed to at this point in the season."

On Alabama State:
"They are a very athletic bunch. They have some very dominant middle blockers, and they attack you with speed. They will give 100 percent effort; they really make you earn points. But we were able to attack them in some of their weaknesses, and I think it really came down to which team was able to execute at the end."

UP NEXT
South Alabama will return to action this weekend with a pair of matches at the War Eagle Invitational at Auburn Arena in Auburn, Ala. The Jags will square off with Auburn at 6 p.m. Friday, followed by a noon matchup with Clemson on Saturday. 

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.