Box Score

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team defeated Louisiana in four sets (25-18, 26-24, 14-25, 25-20) Friday in Sun Belt Conference action at Jag Gym. 

South Alabama (13-6, 4-1 Sun Belt) remained unbeaten at home with the win, extending its win streak in Jag Gym to 10 matches. The victory also marked the Jaguars' third straight win following consecutive wins at Georgia Southern (Oct. 5) and Southern Miss (Oct. 8).

South Alabama will return to action Sat., Oct. 12, when it hosts ULM in a Sun Belt Conference match at 6:30 p.m. at Jag Gym.

 GAME FACTS
- Louisiana (5-13, 1-4 Sun Belt) held a 10-8 lead early in set one, but the Jaguars went on a 10-0 scoring run, highlighted by a pair of kills by Hannah Harris, kills by Kelley Hartman and Lauren Hartman, a pair of Jaguar blocks and two service aces from Ashlyn Roberts, to take an 18-10 lead. South Alabama later earned set point at 24-18 on a kill by Iva Durdanovic, and clinched the set 25-18 on a kill by Hannah Harris to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
- The Ragin' Cajuns held a one-point lead at 6-5 before the Jags went on a 3-0 run that featured two kills by Durdanovic and a kill by Kelley Hartman to take an 8-6 lead. The Cajuns tied the score at 11-11 before a 4-0 Jaguar run that featured three kills by Durdanovic and block-assist from Kelley Hartman and Rachael DeMarcus to take a 15-11 lead. Louisiana tied the score at 18-18, but a kill by Lauren Hartman and solo block from Kelley Hartman gave the Jags a 20-18 advantage. USA later earned set point at 24-22 on a kill by Durdanovic, but the Cajuns rallied for two straight points to tie the score 24-24. A kill by Lauren Hartman gave the Jags set point at 25-24, and a second kill by Hartman clinched the set for USA at 26-24 for a 2-0 lead in the match.
- Louisiana doubled its lead at 14-7 on a kill by Desiree Johnson in set three, but a 4-1 Jaguar scoring run that featured kills by Kelley Hartman and Meaghan Jones, and solo block by DeMarcus cut the UL lead to 15-10. The Cajuns later earned set point at 24-13 on a service ace, and clinched the set 25-14 on a solo block by Tia Jade Smith to cut the Jag lead in the match to 2-1.
- USA held a 7-4 lead early in set four, but the Cajuns went on a 5-0 scoring run for a 9-7 advantage. UL held a 10-8 lead, but a 3-0 Jaguar scoring run that came via a kill by Durdanovic, a Cajun net violation and kill by Harris gave USA an 11-10 lead. USA used a 8-0 run that featured three kills each by Hannah Harris and Kelley Hartman to extend its lead to 21-13. The Jags later earned match point at 24-18 on a kill by DeMarcus, and clinched the match at 25-20 on a Cajun attack error.

NOTES
- Durdanovic recorded her team-best sixth double-double of the season, finishing with 14 kills and 14 digs, along with a .293 hitting percentage, one service ace and one solo block. Durdanovic's double-double is her third straight in Sun Belt Conference matches dating back to the Oct. 4 match at Georgia State.
- Kelley Hartman finished with a team-high 16 kills, .469 hitting percentage, two assists, six digs, one solo block and four block-assists.
- Harris added 14 kills, .257 hitting percentage, one assist, seven digs and two block-assists, while Lauren Hartman recorded eight kills, .571 hitting percentage, one dig, one solo block and one block-assist.
- DeMarcus finished with a game-high 41 assists, three kills, seven digs, one solo block and one block-assist.
- Roberts recorded a game-high 24 digs, and also added two service aces.

QUOTES
Head Coach Alexis Meeks-Rydell
- On the win:
"I thought we came out and played super well in the first two sets, and definitely let up in the third set. But that is a great program (Louisiana); their record does not justify how good they are. They played some really tough teams in non-conference, and started off (Sun Belt) conference (play) with a tough schedule. I didn't think our first contact was great tonight. We're usually a very good serving and passing team, and our serve receive definitely struggled tonight; that's what got us in that rut in the third set. But I am super proud of our kids. I changed the lineup a couple of times tonight, and kudos to the team for us being able to put anybody out there in any rotation at any position and still be able to succeed."

UP NEXT
South Alabama will return to action Sat., Oct. 12, when it hosts ULM in a Sun Belt Conference match at 6:30 p.m. at Jag Gym.

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.