Box Score

STARKVILLE, Miss. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team fell to Syracuse in four sets (19-25, 25-22, 15-25, 17-25) Sunday at the Hail State Invitational at Newell-Grissom Building.

USA (7-5) evened the match at one set apiece with a win in set two, but Syracuse (10-1) rallied to win the next two sets to earn the win in the first-ever meeting between the schools. South Alabama closed its non-conference schedule with the match, and will return to action next weekend when it hosts a pair of Sun Belt Conference matches at Jag Gym to open league play. 

GAME FACTS
Set 1
- The Jaguars took a 7-6 lead on a kill by Kailey Keeble, but Syracuse answered with a 4-0 scoring run to take a 10-7 lead. 
- The Orange used a 3-0 lead to build a 15-10 advantage before South Alabama went on a 5-0 run, highlighted by a pair of kills by Maddie Soboleski and service ace from Paige Lynn, to tie the score 15-15. Syracuse responded with a 3-0 run to take an 18-15 lead.
- The Orange closed the set with a 4-0 scoring run, earning set point at 24-19 on a kill by Marina Markova and clinching the set 25-19 on a Jaguar attack error to take a 1-0 lead in the match.

Set 2
- A 3-0 USA run that featured kills by Carissa Bradford and Soboleski cut the SU lead to 7-6.
- The Jaguars took a 9-8 lead with a 3-0 run that included a kill by Soboleski and block-assist from Hannah Maddux and Niki Capizzi. 
- Syracuse took a 12-11 lead with a 3-0 run, but USA answered with a 4-0 run, highlighted by a service ace by Soboleski and kill from Capizzi, to take a 15-12 lead.
- A 3-0 Orange run later in the set tied the score 21-21.
- South Alabama closed the set with a 3-0 run, earning set point at 24-22 on a kill by Bradford and clinching the set 25-22 on a kill by Keeble to clinch the set and even the match at one set apiece.

Set 3
- The Jags tied the score 5-5 on an Orange service error, but Syracuse followed with consecutive kills to take a lead it never relinquished the remainder of the set.
- A 3-0 SU run pushed its lead to 14-9. USA cut its deficit to 14-11 on a kill by Capizzi and Orange attack error, but SU responded with a 4-0 run to build an 18-11 advantage. 
- Syracuse earned set point at 24-15 and clinched the set 25-15 on consecutive kills by Markova to take a 2-1 lead in the match.

Set 4
- The Jags tied the score 2-2 on a kill by Wallace before Syracuse went on a 6-1 run to take an 8-3 lead. 
- A 3-0 run doubled the SU lead to 14-7 midway through the set. Consecutive kills by Soboleski cut the jaguar deficit to 15-10.
- USA cut the Orange lead to 19-14 with a 3-0 on kills by Soboleski, Bradford and Capizzi. 
- SU earned match point at 24-16 on a Jaguar attack error, and clinched the set 25-17 on a kill by Markova for a 3-1 win.

NOTES
- Syracuse finished with a .398 team hitting percentage with 13 errors on 124 total attacks.
- Soboleski finished with a game-high 18 kills, and added one assist, one service ace and four digs.
- Bradford recorded 12 kills, .300 hitting percentage, one dig and one block.
- Keeble finished with 38 assists, three kills, six digs and one block.
- Hickey led the team with 12 digs, and also added a pair of assists.

QUOTES
Head Coach Jesse Ortiz
- On the loss:
"Syracuse is a tremendous team and by far the best team we have played all year. And I think that was the best thing for us – to test ourselves and our team, and see where we're at and if we can rise to the challenge. I appreciate us fighting to get set two. There were times within the match where we were the ones pushing the tempo for what was going to happen, but our hats go off to them (Syracuse); that is a tremendous team. We feel like we're very physical, so when we face someone who is a little more physical than us we have to be crisp and we just weren't crisp enough. I'm really proud of our group and what they did. It was a chance to gauge ourselves and see where we're at, and I though we did really well. I was really pleased with both pins, (Carissa) Bradford and (Maddie) Soboleski, and I thought we got a little bit better but unfortunately didn't get the 'W.'"

- On the matches versus Jackson State and Mississippi State:
"Both teams are really good. Jackson State won its conference last year; they were really good during the Covid year. And Mississippi State is much improved. Coach (Julie) Dennis has done a tremendous job of building her program up. We saw both of those teams and knew it was going to be a dogfight. We had to make a few adjustments in the Jackson State match, and fortunately for us our adjustments worked. Our players rallied after that first-set loss to go ahead and close them out. Our hats off to Mississippi State. They showed their physicality and matched us in doing that. They've bonded a little longer than us in terms of their group together. For our first month competing together in this non-conference schedule, it has been good but it is a chance for us to reassess and attack things we need to get better at and just keep on pushing and getting better for conference play coming up."

- On the team's progression during non-conference:
"This is actually the first weekend we have had everyone together, as far as everyone being healthy enough for a group that we though was going to be moreover our starters. With that being said, we had a few players in and out because the competition is pretty steep right now. Just in terms of us progressing, we gradually played tougher RPI opponents and teams who were a little more physical and I thought that was a good progression for our group. I felt like throughout that we matched up pretty well. There are a few matches early on we wish we could have back. It may have been a different outcome if we would have had a full assortment of our grouping, but we appreciate the fact that we are as healthy as we can be at this point, that we're knowledgeable about our systems and we get to know each other a little bit more and we kind of see where we're at. I absolutely love the fact that no matter who our opponent is, the student-athletes come to compete every single time and that is just a testament to their fortitude. I am pumped on us. We have games to play and it starts over from zero. I do feel like we are formidable, and hopefully we can show up and showcase that in the upcoming matches."

UP NEXT
South Alabama will return to action Fri., Sept. 24, when it hosts UT Arlington at 6 p.m. at Jag Gym to open Sun Belt Conference play. 

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.