Box Score

LAFAYETTE, La. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team fell in straight sets (17-25, 22-25, 17-25) to Louisiana in Saturday's series finale at Earl K. Long Gym.

UL's Hali Wisnoskie finished with a game-high 21 kills, while Hannah Maddux led the Jaguars with a career-high 13 kills. South Alabama (0-2) will return to action next weekend when it hosts Stephen F. Austin at 10:30 a.m. at Jaguar Gym to kick off the Jaguar Invitational. 

 GAME FACTS
- A Cajun ball-handling error cut the Jaguar deficit to one at 13-12 in the opening set, but UL went on a 3-0 scoring run to build a 16-12 lead. A Louisiana attack error cut the UL lead to 17-14, but a second 3-0 Cajun run pushed their lead to 20-14. USA answered with a 3-0 run behind a pair of kills from Maddux and a solo block by Meaghan Jones to cut the Louisiana lead to 20-17, but the Cajuns responded with 5-0 run to close out the set, earning set point at 24-17 on a Jaguar attack error, and clinching the set 25-17 on a kill by Wisnoskie to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
- South Alabama held a 3-2 lead early in set two before going on a 3-0 run, highlighted by a kill by Jones and service ace by Maddie Soboleski, for a 6-2 advantage. A kill by Wisnoskie cut the Jaguar lead in half at 6-3, but USA answered with a 3-0 run that featured kills by Jones and Maddux for a 9-3 lead. A Cajun attack error pushed the USA lead to 10-3, but UL responded with a 5-0 scoring run, aided by a pair of Jaguar attack errors, to cut the South Alabama lead to 10-8. A kill and service ace by Maddux, and a kill by Jones increased the Jag lead to 14-9. UL used a 4-0 run to take a 16-15 lead, but a Cajun service error tied the score 16-16. A kill by Jones and solo block by Hannah Harris cut the UL lead to 21-19. Louisiana later earned set point at 24-20 on a kill by Taylor Gates, and clinched the set 25-22 on a Jaguar service error for a 2-0 lead in the match.
-   USA tied the score at 5-5 in set three after a bad Cajun set. But Louisiana answered with a 5-0 scoring run to double its lead to 10-5. The Cajuns used a 3-0 run later in the set to build a 22-14 advantage. UL earned match point at 24-17 on a kill by Kelsey Bennett, and clinched the set and match 25-17 on a service ace by Avery Breaux.

NOTES
- Maddux finished with a career-high 13 kills, along with a .269 hitting percentage, one service ace, two digs and one block-assist.
- Soboleski recorded a team-high 26 assists, in addition to three kills, one service ace and six digs.
- Rachel Hickey led the Jags with 23 digs, and also added two assists and one service ace.
- Louisiana posted a .311 team hitting percentage, while the Jags finished with a .137 hitting percentage.
- Wisnoskie recorded 10 kills and a .625 hitting percentage in the opening set of the match, and finished with a game-high 21 kills and .452 hitting percentage.
- The loss marked USA's third straight in Lafayette dating back to the 2018 season. 

QUOTES
Head Coach Alexis Meeks-Rydell
- On the loss:
"No coach likes starting a season 0-2, but we got better this weekend and that's what it's all about. Each set we got better and our level of play increased as the weekend went on. At a few points in time this weekend, we only had one returner from last season on the court so we are still learning and adjusting to each other and our system here. It will all become better with time and experience. We know we have a lot to work on to prepare for this upcoming weekend, but we are thankful to be playing in Jag Gym again."

UP NEXT
South Alabama will return to action next weekend when it hosts Stephen F. Austin at 10:30 a.m. at Jaguar Gym to kick off the Jaguar Invitational.

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.