Box Score 

TROY, Ala. – South Alabama volleyball fell to Troy in five sets Friday in Sun Belt Conference West Division action at Trojan Arena.

Troy (15-8, 9-2 SBC) jumped out to a 2-0 lead on South Alabama (14-9, 8-3 SBC) after taking the opening set 25-15 and winning set two 25-16. But the Jaguars answered with a 25-18 win in set three, followed by a 25-23 win in set four to force a fifth and deciding set which went to the Trojans 15-11.

The Trojans posted a .285 hitting percentage in the match, while South Alabama finished with a percentage of .260. The Jags recorded 12 total team blocks, led by Morgan Stalcup's six. Stalcup also added eight kills and .462 hitting percentage along with one assist. 

Hannah Maddux led USA with 18 kills, and also recorded two digs and two blocks. Maddie Soboleski finished with 16 kills, a .308 hitting percentage, two assists, seven digs and two blocks. Setter Kailey Keeble recorded her 16th double-double of the season with 46 assists and 11 digs in addition to three kills and two blocks. Libero Rachel Hickey finished with a team-high 13 digs, and also added five assists and two service aces.

Troy's Tori Hester recorded a double-double with a game-high 26 kills and 18 digs, while Julia Brooks added 21 kills and .500 hitting percentage.

UP NEXT
South Alabama will return to action Saturday when it faces Troy at 1 p.m. at Trojan Arena in Troy, Ala.

QUOTES
Head Coach Jesse Ortiz
- On the loss:
"I feel like Troy was pretty superhuman tonight, and I don't throw that term around loosely. They hit some marks they hadn't quite hit (this season). I think there is a sense of pride at their house, and that they were going to make sure they took it to us different than what we did last year. I feel like we had some of the comeuppance today. They were really good, and I thought we were good but not great and that's what cost us tonight. We fought back, there's no doubt about it and that shows a lot of tenacity on our part, however, they were better tonight."

- On tomorrow's match:
"Our team has a lot of pride and we're talented, there's no doubt about it. But we are being tested in some capacity here toward the end of the year, and against teams that can defend themselves and they're coming after us. That helps us level up, but it is part of the learning part of it. Every season is a new year and we're not trying to re-live last year; we're trying to take on this year. We're doing some good and some bad, and we're catching our lumps but I also feel like we're showing we're still fighters and I appreciate that out of our group. We'll give it our best tomorrow and do what we can to see if we can come out ahead."

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