MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team will open a five-match home stand with a pair of Sun Belt Conference matches this weekend at Jag Gym.

South Alabama (15-7, 6-2 Sun Belt) will host Georgia Southern (6-13, 1-7 Sun Belt) Fri., Oct. 25, at 6:30 p.m., and will face Georgia State (7-12, 3-5 Sun Belt) on Sat., Oct. 26, at 6:30 p.m. Each match will be streamed live and available for free through JagNationTV.com, and can also be accessed through the Jaguar volleyball schedule page at USAJaguars.com. Live stats for both matches will also be available through the 'multimedia' section of USAJaguars.com. Admission is free to all Jaguar volleyball home matches.

USA carries an 11-match home win streak into Friday's contest with the Eagles, and has won five of its last six matches.  The Jaguars tied the 1982 team for the most home wins (11) in a season with a win over ULM on Oct. 12. South Alabama split a pair of road matches last weekend with a win at UT Arlington last Friday followed by a four-set loss at Sun Belt West Division leader Texas State.

The Jaguars defeated Georgia Southern in straight sets in Statesboro, Ga., on Oct. 5 after falling in five sets at Georgia State on Oct. 4.

The Jags rank second in the Sun Belt in hitting percentage (.239), and fifth in the league in opponent hitting percentage (.181). In conference matches, USA ranks third in the league in hitting percentage (.234), and fourth in opponent hitting percentage (.196) and digs per set (15.58). 

Senior middle blocker Kelley Hartman leads the Sun Belt in hitting percentage (.389), and ranks eighth in kills per set (3.13). Rachael DeMarcus ranks fifth in assists per set (9.64), and Ashlyn Roberts ranks sixth in digs per set (4.25). In conference matches, Hartman ranks sixth in hitting percentage (.355), kills per set (3.29) and blocks per set (1.00). DeMarcus ranks sixth in assists per set (9.55) in conference contests, Roberts ranks seventh in digs per set (4.28) and Hannah Harris ranks seventh in service aces per set (0.39). 

Georgia Southern carries a five-match losing streak into Friday's contest. The Eagles fell to Louisiana in four sets last Friday in Statesboro after losing to ULM in five sets last Thursday. Georgia Southern is 1-7 in road matches this season.

GASO ranks 11th in the Sun Belt in kills per set (11.03) and assists per set (10.28). In conference contests, the Eagles ranks last in the league in kills per set (10.17) and service aces per set (0.69). The Eagles' Baylor Bumford leads the Sun Belt in blocks per set (1.24) in conference matches, and ranks third in hitting percentage (.371) while Landon Jones ranks fourth in digs per set (4.55). 

Georgia State enters the weekend having won two of its last three matches. The Panthers fell to Louisiana in straight sets last Sunday in Atlanta after defeating ULM in straight sets last Friday. GSU is 1-5 in road matches this season.

Georgia State leads the Sun Belt in blocks per set (2.16), and ranks third in digs per set (15.29). In conference matches, the Panthers rank second in the league in blocks per set (2.19). Meisheia Griffin ranks second in the Sun Belt in blocks per set (1.09), and Lauren Bandera ranks second in digs per set (4.63). In conference contests, Griffin ranks fourth in the league in blocks per set (1.1), and fifth in hitting percentage (.358), while Bandera ranks fift in digs per set (4.45).

Georgia Southern holds a 7-6 all-time lead over South Alabama in a series that dates back to 2010. The Jags have won the last two meetings in the series, but the Eagles won the last meeting at Jag Gym in five sets last season. USA owns a 12-5 all-time lead over Georgia State in a series that began in 1976. GSU's win over USA earlier this year snapped a four-match Panther losing streak in the series. South Alabama is 6-0 at home all-time against Georgia State.

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.