MOBILE, Ala. – The seventh-seeded University of South Alabama volleyball team will square off with No. 6 Arkansas State Thu., Nov. 15, at 4 p.m. (CT) in the opening round of the 2018 Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Championship at GSU Sports Arena in Atlanta, Ga.

The winner will face No. 3 Coastal Carolina at 4 p.m. (CT) on Fri., Nov. 16. Every match of the tournament will be broadcast live via ESPN+, and live stats will also be available. Links for the live stream and live stats can be accessed through the volleyball schedule page at USAJaguars.com, as well as SunBeltSports.org.

ASU (17-12) defeated USA (13-16) in five sets on Sept. 23 in Jonesboro, Ark., earlier this season. Hannah Harris recorded a double-double in the match, finishing with a career-high 19 kills and 11 digs, while Arkansas State's Carlisa May – the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year – tallied 29 kills in the victory.

Arkansas State holds a 31-5 all-time lead in the series, and carries a seven-game win streak in the series into Thursday's contest. The schools have not met in a neutral-site match since 1998, when ASU defeated USA in straight sets in the Sun Belt Tournament in Little Rock, Ark.

South Alabama finished the regular season ranked fourth in the conference in hitting percentage (.217), and tied for fourth in service aces per set (1.27). In conference matches, USA ranked fifth in the league in blocks per set (2.22) and service aces per set (1.17). 

Morgan Stalcup finished the regular season ranked fifth in the Sun Belt in hitting percentage (.347), while Kelley Hartman, who was voted Second-Team All-Sun Belt Conference on Tuesday, ranked sixth in service aces per set (0.30). Rachael DeMarcus ranked eighth in assists per set (6.66), and Ashlyn Roberts ranked eighth in service aces per set (0.28).

In conference matches, Roberts ranked fifth in service aces (0.32), and Hartman ranked seventh in blocks per set (1.02). Meaghan Jones ranked seventh in kills per set (2.98), while DeMarcus ranked eighth in assists per set (7.93).

Arkansas State, which defeated ULM last Friday before falling in straight sets at Louisiana in the regular-season finale, ranked third in the league in service aces per set (1.33), and fourth in opponent hitting percentage (.187), assists per set (12.22), kills per set (12.96). In Sun Belt matches, the Red Wolves ranked third in service aces per set (1.35), and fourth in kills per set (12.98). 

May led the league in kills per set (4.73), while Ellie Watkins, who earned First-Team All-Sun Belt honors along with May, finished fourth in assists per set (9.74). Madison Turner ranked seventh in blocks per set (1.05), while Tatum Ticknor ranked seventh in digs per set (3.86). In conference matches, May led the league in kills per set (4.85), while Turner ranked third in blocks per set (1.17).

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).

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