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MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team defeated Texas State in straight sets (25-18, 25-20, 25-20) Saturday in Sun Belt Conference action at Jag Gym.

South Alabama (9-5, 2-0 SBC) remained perfect at home this season with the win, which extended its home win streak to eight matches dating back to last year. The Jaguars will return to action next weekend with a 6 p.m. Sun Belt Conference contest against Arkansas State on Fri., Oct. 1, in Jonesboro, Ark.

GAME FACTS
Set 1
- A kill by Kennedy Wallace tied the score 9-9. Texas State took an 11-9 lead on a block-assist by Tyeranee Scott and Emily DeWalt and a kill by Janell Fitzgerald. 
- The Jags answered with a 5-0 scoring run that featured a pair of kills by Maddie Soboleski and three straight service aces by Paige Lynn for a 14-11 advantage.
- A kill by Niki Capizzi took the Jags into the media timeout with a 15-12 advantage.
- Texas State used a 3-0 run, aided by a Jaguar service error, to cut the USA lead to 18-16.
- South Alabama earned set point at 24-18 on a kill by Hannah Maddux, and clinched the set 25-18 on a service ace by Rachel Hickey, which capped a 4-0 Jaguar run to end the set, for a 1-0 lead in the match. 

Set 2
- USA jumped out to a 4-1 lead on a kill by Soboleski, consecutive kills from Maddux and a Bobcat attack error.
- Texas State responded with a 3-0 run to tie the score 4-4.
- A 3-0 Jaguar run, highlighted by a service ace from Soboleski, gave South Alabama an 8-5 lead.
- The Bobcats tied the score 11-11 with a 3-0 run before a kill by Wallace gave the Jaguars a 12-11 advantage.
- Back-to-back kills by Soboleski and Carissa Bradford gave USA a 16-15 lead before Texas State took a 17-16 lead on a kill by Jada Gardner and service ace from Brooke Johnson. 
- A kill by Gardner gave Texas State an 18-17 lead, but the Jaguar answered with a 3-0 run that featured a block-assist by Maddux and Wallace and a solo block by Soboleski for a 20-18 advantage.
- USA earned set point at 24-20 on a kill by Sobloeski, and clinched the set 25-20 on a Bobcat attack error, which capped a 4-0 Jag run to end the set, for a 2-0 lead in the match.

Set 3
- Texas State opened set three with a 5-0 scoring run.
- A Jaguar attack error pushed the Bobcat lead to 7-1 before three straight kills from Maddux, Soboleski and Capizzi cut the USA deficit to 7-4.
- Texas State held a 9-4 lead before a 5-0 Jaguar run, highlighted by a service ace by Soboleski and block-assist from Bradford and Capizzi, tied the score 9-9.
- The Bobcats tied the score 14-14 on a kill by Caitlin Buettner, but a 3-0 Jag run that featured a kill by Soboleski gave South Alabama a 17-14 lead.
- The Jags went on a 3-0 run, highlighted by a kill by Soboleski and block-assist from Capizzi and Keeble, to take a 20-15 lead.
- USA earned match point at 24-18 on a Bobcat ball-handling error, and clinched the set 25-20 on a second Texas State ball-handling error to clinch the set for a 3-0 win.

NOTES
- Keeble recorded her team-leading ninth double-double of the season, finishing with 39 assists and 12 digs, and also added one kill, one solo block and one block-assist.
- Bradford finished with nine kills, a .444 hitting percentage and one block-assist.
- Soboleski recorded a team-high 12 kills, along with two service aces, five digs and one solo block.
- Maddux added 10 kills, one dig and two block-assists.
- Lynn recorded three service aces and eight digs, and Rachel Hickey added 11 digs and one service ace.
- USA snapped a three-game losing skid to Texas State with the win.
- The victory also extended the Jaguars' home win streak to eight matches dating back to last season's Georgia Southern series. 
- USA improved to 5-0 at Jag Gym this season, where it has swept each match.

QUOTES
Head Coach Jesse Ortiz
- On the win:
"Texas State is a great team, there's no doubt about it. I know they have had some injuries in the preseason, but they were back fully-loaded. They were a machine of efficiency, especially those first two games. We were just a little more efficient and had a few more kills, and that looked to be the difference."

- On the comeback in set three:
"There is a lot of confidence and moxie from the group, and they just band together a little bit more and get a little tighter. They just did it together one point at a time, and in the game of volleyball that matters. It was great."

- On starting conference play 2-0:
"The Sun Belt (Conference) is something else. Every week you have a new set of teams and a new look with a new wrinkle that we have to do. It is a good starting point, but this is a long season. It does us no good to have this one and not be great in the next one, so we just have to keep putting our head down and one foot in front of the other and we'll see what we can do."

UP NEXT
South Alabama will return to action Fri., Oct. 1, when it travels to Jonesboro, Ark., for a Sun Belt Conference match with Arkansas State at 6 p.m. at First National Bank Arena.

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.