Box Score

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team defeated Georgia State in five sets (25-13, 25-16, 25-27, 21-25, 15-9) Friday in a Sun Belt Conference East Division match at Jag Gym.

South Alabama (13-6, 6-1 SBC) won the first two sets before Georgia State (3-14, 0-7 SBC) evened the match by taking sets three and four. The Jaguars then clinched the match with a 15-9 win in set five to extend their home win streak to nine games.

GAME FACTS
Set 1
- South Alabama went on a 4-0 scoring run, highlighted by a block-assist by Hannah Maddux and Kennedy Wallace, and a service ace from Kailey Keeble, to take a 9-7 lead.
- A kill by Wallace, service ace from Rachel Hickey and Panther attack error capped a 3-0 USA run for a 13-10 Jaguar advantage.
- GSU cut the Jag lead to 13-12 after a USA attack error, but South Alabama went on an 11-0 run that featured a block-assist by Niki Capizzi and Maddie Soboleski, three service aces from Paige Lynn and a pair of kills from Soboleski to take a 24-12 lead. 
- The Jags earned set point at 24-12 on a service ace by Lynn, and clinched the set 25-13 on a kill by Soboleski to take a 1-0 lead in the match and cap a 12-1 USA run to close the set.

Set 2
- A South Alabama service error cut the Jag lead to 7-6, but USA used a 9-0 run, highlighted by a pair of kills from Maddux, consecutive service aces from Keeble and kills by Keeble and Hickey, for a 16-6 advantage.
- GSU went on a 4-0 run that was aided by a pair of Jaguar attack errors and a bad set to cut the USA lead to 19-13.
- The Jags later earned set point at 24-16 on a kill by Carissa Bradford, and clinched the set 25-16 on a second straight kill by Bradford for a 2-0 lead in the match.   

Set 3
- GSU jumped out to a 4-0 lead with the run capped by consecutive service aces from Claire Lewis.
- The Jags responded with a 4-0 run, highlighted by kills from Soboleski and Maddux, and a block-assist by Capizzi and Maddux, to tie the score 4-4.
- A 4-0 Jaguar run that was aided by three GSU attack errors gave South Alabama a 12-10 lead.
- GSU held a 19-17 lead before a 3-0 Jaguar run that featured a pair of kills by Bradford gave USA a 20-19 advantage.
- A kill by Evoni Lemons gave the Panthers a 21-20 lead, but South Alabama answered with kill by Lynn and Bradford to take a 22-21 lead.
- USA earned match point at 24-23 on a block-assist by Wallace and Maddux before a Jaguar service error tied the score 24-24.
- GSU earned set point at 25-24 on a service ace by Lewis, but a kill by Maddux tied the score 25-25.
- The Panthers earned set point at 26-25 on a kill by Julianna Truscott, and clinched the set 27-25 on a Jaguar attack error.

Set 4
- USA took a 2-1 lead on a GSU attack error, but the Panthers went on a 5-0 run to take a 6-2 lead.
- The Panthers held an 11-5 lead before a 5-0 Jaguar run, highlighted by a pair of kills by Maddux and service ace from Keeble, cut the GSU lead to 11-10.
- Georgia State responded with a 3-0 run to take a 14-10 lead.
- A 4-0 Panther run pushed the GSU lead to 18-12.
- Four straight kills from Ezgi Karabulut, Keeble and two from Bradford highlighted a 5-0 Jag run that cut the GSU lead to 21-20.
- GSU earned set point at 24-20 on a Jaguar attack error, and clinched the set 25-21 on a Jag service error to clinch the set.

Set 5
- The score was tied 1-1 before the Jags went on a 4-0 run, which featured a service ace by Hickey and kill from Maddux, to take a 5-1 lead.
- A kill by Maddux and block-assist from Soboleski and Capizzi extended the Jag lead to 7-2.
- A kill by Capizzi, service ace by Juanita Monteiro-Pai and kill from Bradford capped a 3-0 Jag run for a 12-5 South Alabama lead.
- The Jaguars earned match point at 14-8 on a Panther attack error, and clinched the set 15-9 on a GSU service error. 

NOTES
- USA's 11 service aces marked the most in a Sun Belt Conference match this season.
- Maddux finished with a game-high 16 kills, and posted a .306 hitting percentage along with four digs and four-block-assists.
- Bradford recorded 14 kills and .256 hitting percentage.
- Keeble posted her 13th double-double of the season with 38 assists and 12 digs, and also added four kills and four service aces.
- Hickey led the Jags with 21 digs, and added one kill and tied her career high in service aces with three.
- South Alabama extended its home win streak to nine games with the win, dating back to last year's three-match series with Georgia Southern.  
- GSU won the third and fourth sets, marking the first two sets South Alabama has dropped at Jag Gym this season.

QUOTES
Head Coach Jesse Ortiz
- On the win:
"Georgia State came out on fire, especially after we won those first two (sets); and we won them commandingly. They didn't give up. They were taking big swings and served extremely tough, and a team that does that is going to be a game and they were tonight."

- On the keys to the win:
"After the first two sets we let off the gas on our serving, and that is a good team (GSU) so they were able to establish the rhythm of attack. They got their middle going and were just being forceful with the ball. We had to pick it up, and we did at the service line and started defending the ball out of it. That helped toward our win for sure."

- On Saturday's match with Georgia Southern:
"We just have to keep on working hard and battle them out. This time in the season, everyone has seen each other; we have enough film on each other, so we're going to know each other really well. You just have to keep your mind right. We're not a high-error team, so when we start hemorrhaging errors teams are going to be in the games with us. We just have to do us, and at the end of the day that is going to be good enough."

Defensive Specialist Paige Lynn
- On the win:
"It is pretty amazing. We hadn't won a fifth set this season, so this is a really big win for us. I think we're really progressing as a team."

- On Saturday's match with Georgia Southern:
"We need to come into practice tomorrow focused and work hard. Georgia Southern is a good team, so we just have to prepare for a fight."

UP NEXT
South Alabama will return to action Sat., Oct. 16, when it hosts Georgia Southern in a Sun Belt Conference East Division match at 6 p.m. at Jag Gym.  

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with USAJaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at Twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. 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.