USA-TSU Box Score
USA-NSU Box Score

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team fell swept a pair of matches on day one of the Jaguar Invitational Friday at Jag Gym. USA defeated Tennessee State in five sets to open the tournament, followed by a four-set win over Northwestern State Friday evening.

South Alabama (2-3) will return to action Saturday when it hosts Mississippi Valley State at 2 p.m. at Jag Gym.
 
South Alabama 3, Tennessee State 2 (25-14, 22-25, 25-15, 18-25, 15-10)
GAME FACTS
- Tennessee State recorded a -.026 team hitting percentage in the opening set.
- South Alabama posted a .375 team hitting percentage in set three, and a .556 hitting percentage in the fifth set with 13 kills and three errors on 18 total attacks.

NOTES
- Meaghan Jones and Kelley Hartman each finished with a game-high 14 kills. Jones also added one assist and five digs, while Hartman recorded a .407 hitting percentage, two assists, two service aces and one dig.
- Lauren Hartman finished with 11 kills, .455 hitting percentage, one assist and two digs.
- Hannah Harris added 10 kills, one assist, two service aces, four digs and one solo block.
- Ashlyn Roberts finished with a game-high 25 assists along with two assists.
- Rachael DeMarcus finished one dig shy of a double-double with 46 assists and nine digs, in addition to three kills.
- The win marked Jaguar head coach Alexis Meeks-Rydell's first career victory at USA.

South Alabama 3, Northwestern State 1 (25-17, 25-14, 20-25, 36-34)
GAME FACTS
- The Jags recorded 59 kills and 12 errors on 127 total attacks for a .370 team hitting percentage. 
- USA finished with nine total team blocks, while NSU posted five.
- USA recorded a .400 team hitting percentage in the opening set, while NSU finished with a .074 team percentage in set one.

NOTES
- Iva Durdanovic recorded a double-double, finishing with 14 kills and 14 digs, along with a .286 hitting percentage, one assist and two service aces.
- Kelley Hartman finished with a team-high 19 kills, .531 hitting percentage, three assists, three digs, two solo blocks and two block-assists.
- Harris recorded 15 kills, .333 hitting percentage, two service aces, four digs, three solo blocks and one block-assist.
- DeMarcus finished with 48 assists, four service aces, six digs and one kill

QUOTES
Head Coach Alexis Meeks-Rydell
- On the 36-34 win in set four to clinch the NSU match:
"We needed that. That was the first match of the year where we played consistent every single set, and that's all we have been harping on – you have to just stay consistent. Earlier against Tennessee State, they are a very good ballclub and we were just on a rollercoaster – playing well then making a lot of errors. To put four sets of consistent volleyball together and be able to grind out when you are going point-for-point, and have three set points for the other team and still be able to grind that out - that is fun. And we needed that to show when you are consistent, you are a great volleyball team."

UP NEXT
South Alabama (0-3) will return to action Saturday when it hosts Mississippi Valley State at 2 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.