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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team fell in four sets (25-23, 20-25, 27-29, 25-19)  to No. 24 Miami Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Exactech Arena.

USA (25-7) took the opening set before Miami (25-4) won the next three sets to clinch the match. The loss, which eliminated the Jags from the tournament, snapped a 13-game South Alabama win streak.

GAME FACTS
Set 1
- Miami jumped out to a 3-1 lead before a Hurricane attack error and service ace by Paige Lynn tied the score 3-3.
- USA took a 6-5 lead on a Miami ball-handling error.
- The Jags took an 8-6 lead after consecutive kills by Carissa Bradford.
- South Alabama took an 11-8 lead following back-to-back kills by Maddie Soboleski and Hannah Maddux.
- Miami tied the score 14-14 on a Jaguar ball-handling error, but a kill by Bradford gave the Jags a 15-14 lead at the media timeout.
- Miami went on a 3-0 run to take a 17-15 lead. 
- USA tied the score 17-17 on a Miami attack error and service ace by Madisen Werdell.
- The Hurricanes used a 3-0 run, aided by a Jaguar attack error, to take a 23-20 lead.
- South Alabama went on a 3-0 run, highlighted by kills by Niki Capizzi and Kailey Keeble, to tie the score 23-23.
- The Jags then earned set point at 24-23 on a kill by Capizzi, and clinched the set 25-23 on a Hurricane attack error to cap a 5-0 run and take a 1-0 lead in the match.

Set 2
- Miami went on a 3-0 run to take a 6-2 lead.
- A kill by Capizzi cut the Miami lead in half at 8-4.
- A 3-0 USA run that featured kill by Soboleski and Maddux cut the Hurricane lead to 12-9.
- The Hurricanes extended their lead to 18-13 with a 3-0 scoring run.
- South Alabama cut the Miami lead to 20-19 with a 4-0 run that included a block-assist by Kennedy Wallace and Soboleski, and a kill by Soboleski.
- Miami went on a 3-0 run to take a 23-19 lead.
- The Hurricanes earned set point at 24-20 on a kill by Angela Grieve, and clinched the set 25-20 on a Jaguar attack error to tie the match 1-1.

Set 3
- USA held an early 2-1 lead before a 4-0 Miami run gave the Hurricanes a 5-2 advantage.
- A service ace by Soboleski cut the Miami lead to 7-6.
- The Hurricanes went on a 3-0 run, aided by a Jaguar attack error, to take a 13-8 lead.
- Consecutive kills by Soboleski and Bradford, and back-to-back service aces from Soboleski accounted for a 4-0 Jaguar run that tied the score 16-16.
- Kills by Wallace and Soboleski, and two Hurricane attack errors gave the Jags a 22-21 lead.
- A kill by Soboleski gave South Alabama a 23-22 advantage.
- Miami earned set point at 24-23 on a kill by Angela Grieve, but a kill by Maddux tied the score 24-24.
- USA earned set point at 25-24 on a kill by Soboleski before a kill by Peyman Yardimci tied the score 25-25.
- The Hurricanes earned set point at 26-25 on a Jaguar attack error, but a kill by Soboleski tied the score 26-26.
- South Alabama earned set point at 27-26 on a kill by Bradford, but a Jaguar ball-handling error tied the score 27-27.
- Miami then earned set point at 28-27 on a Jag attack error, and clinched the set 29-27 on a second USA attack error to take a 2-1 lead in the match.

Set 4
- Miami held a 5-3 lead before a Hurricane service error and service ace by Capizzi tied the score 5-5.
- The Hurricanes went on a 4-0 run to take a 15-9 lead.
- South Alabama answered with a 4-0 run, highlighted by a kill by Bradford and service ace from Soboleski, to cut the Miami lead to 16-13.
- The Jags went on a 3-0 run that featured a pair of kills by Bradford to cut the Hurricane lead to 18-16.
- Miami pushed its lead to 21-17 with a 4-0 scoring run.
- The Hurricanes earned match point at 24-19 on a block, and clinched the set 25-19 on a Jaguar attack error. 

NOTES 
- Keeble recorded her 19th double-double of the season, finishing with 46 assists and 13 digs, along with two kills and two blocks.
- Soboleski recorded her seventh double-double of the season, finishing with 15 kills and 13 digs, in addition to four service aces and two blocks.
- Bradford added 14 kills and a pair of digs.
- Maddux and Capizzi finished with nine kills apiece. Capizzi also added one service ace, one dig and two blocks, while Maddux added one dig and one block.
- USA's 25 wins this season marked the most by a Jaguar squad since the 1987 team won 26 matches.

QUOTES
Head Coach Jesse Ortiz
- Opening Statement:
"I am absolutely proud of my team. Obviously that wasn't the result that we wanted, and in games like that you start thinking about a lot of things. But it was a tremendous season, and our hats go off to Miami; they fought so well and had a few players who gave us some fits. All the credit to them, but I am really proud of our group."

- On the loss:
"They (Miami) had a lot of athleticism around the net and a lot of arm speed. I thought they served really well and took us out of being able to have Kailey (Keeble) in the pocket; that impacted us and made it a high-ball game. When you have that kind of size in the middle and are able to close on time and set up a double-block, that makes it tough. I love the fact that we were aggressive, and you have to stay that way against teams like that. I thought we did a pretty good job of challenging not only sharp corners across the court, but also down the line. And I feel like we could have done a better job of picking up some of the broken plays, but it was a great match. You can't allow those runs at the beginning against teams like that. We were constantly playing catch-up, and at this point in the season you have to be able to go toe-to-toe and slug it out. We were getting our slugs in toward the end, but they were already ahead of us and that's a tough way to live."

Setter Kailey Keeble
- On the season:
"It was a really good season for all of us. We started off with a brand new team – a lot of transfers and freshmen – and just learning to play as one, come together, compete in practice every day and compete in games. It was really awesome."

Outside Hitter Maddie Soboleski
- On the season:
"I remember last spring coming in with no coach and four girls on the team. Just watching how this program has evolved – thanks to Coach Jesse (Ortiz); it's pretty amazing what we've done, and I don't know if people really know that. I am just thankful to be on this team and be in this tournament."

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.