Box Score (PDF)

TAMPA, Fla. – South Alabama volleyball defeated South Florida in four sets Saturday to close the USF Invitational at The Corral.

USF (1-2) tied the match 1-1 in set two before the Jags rallied to win both sets three and four in extra points and clinch the match for their second consecutive win of the season. Maddie Soboleski finished with a game-high 20 kills, and setter Kailey Keeble recorded her second straight double-double with 45 assists and a career-high 26 digs.

UP NEXT
South Alabama (2-1) will return to action Fri., Sept. 2, when it faces Tulsa at 1 p.m. in Nacogdoches, Texas, to open the SFA Invitational.

GAME SUMMARY
Set 1
- South Florida tied the score 7-7 on a kill by Amanda DeWitt, but a 3-0 Jaguar scoring run, highlighted by a kill from Hannah Maddux and block-assist by Maddux and Morgan Stalcup, gave South Alabama a 10-7 lead.
- The Jags went on a 7-0 scoring run that featured three kills by Maddie Soboleski and a service ace from Madisen Werdell to build an 18-9 advantage.
- USA used a 4-0 run, aided by three USF attack errors, to take a 23-14 lead.
- South Alabama earned set point at 24-17 on a kill by Soboleski, and clinched the set 25-17 on a service ace from Soboleski to take a 1-0 lead in the match. 

Set 2
- The Jags took an 8-5 lead on a kill by Soboleski, but USF answered with a 4-0 run to take a 9-8 lead. 
- A kill by Lillie Simons gave South Alabama a 14-13 lead, but the Bulls then went on a 5-0 run to build an 18-14 advantage.
- USF went on a 3-0 run, aided by a pair of Jaguar attack errors, to take a 23-17 lead.
- The Bulls earned set point at 24-18 on a kill by Marta Cvitkovic, and clinched the set 25-18 on a kill by Tizi Puljiz to even the match 1-1. 

Set 3
- USA took a 4-3 lead on a kill by Niki Capizzi before a 3-0 USF run gave the Bulls a 6-4 lead.
- The Bulls took a five-point lead on a kill by Maria Clara Andrade for a 19-14 advantage.
- USF pushed its lead to 20-16 on a Jaguar service error, but USA answered with a 3-0 run that included a kill by Simons and service ace from Rachel Hickey to cut the Bull lead to 20-19.
- South Alabama tied the score 22-22 on a kill by Soboleski and USF attack error.
- USF earned set point at 24-23 on a Jaguar service error, but a kill by Maddux tied the score 24-24.
- The Bulls earned set point at 25-24 on an attack error by Maddux, but a bad set by USF tied the score 25-25.
- A block-assist by Simons and Stalcup gave South Alabama set point at 26-25, but a kill by Andrade tied the score 26-26.
- The Jags earned set point at 27-26 on a Bull service error, but an attack error by Soboleski tied the score 27-27.
- A block-assist by Simons and Capizzi gave USA set point at 28-27, and the Jags clinched the set 29-27 on a USF attack error for a 2-1 lead in the match.

Set 4
- USA took a 5-1 lead with a 4-0 run that featured consecutive kills by Capizzi and a service ace from Paige Lynn.
- A kill by Simons gave the Jags an 11-6 lead, but the Bulls answered with a 4-0 run to cut their deficit to one at 11-10.
- A 3-0 USF run, aided by a pair of Jag attack errors, gave the Bulls a 14-13 lead.
- South Florida held a 22-19 lead after an attack error by Soboleski, but the Jaguars responded with a 3-0 run that included consecutive kills by Soboleski to tie the score 22-22.
- A service ace by Soboleski gave USA match point at 24-23, but a kill by Marta Cvitkovic tied the score 24-24.
- A kill by Maddux gave South Alabama match point at 25-24, but a service error by Capizzi tied the score at 25. 
- USF earned set point at 26-25 on a kill by Amiree Hendricks-Walker before a kill by Maddux tied the score 26-26.
- USF earned set point again at 27-26 on a kill by Cvitkovic, but a kill by Maddux tied the score at 27.
- A kill by Puljiz gave the Bulls set point at 28-27, but South Alabama responded with a 3-0 run to close out the match; a kill by Hickey tied the score at 28, a kill by Soboleski gave the Jags match point at 29-28 and a service ace from Hickey clinched the set 30-28 for a 3-1 win in the match.

NOTES
- Keeble recorded her second double-double of the season and the 21st of her career with 45 assists and career-high 26 digs, along with two kills and two blocks.
- Soboleski finished with a game-high 20 kills, and added nine digs and two service aces.
- Maddux recorded 18 kills, a .295 hitting percentage, one assist, one dig and two blocks.
- Stalcup led the Jags with four total blocks, and also added four kills and two digs.
- Hickey finished with 19 digs, two service aces, eight assists and one kill, and Paige Lynn added 13 digs and two aces.
- The Jags posted 82 digs in four sets, and also recorded seven service aces.
- Soboleski's 79 total attacks are the most by a Jaguar in four sets, passing Tonia Hatfield's 75 which came on Sept. 23, 1995, against Southeastern Louisiana.
- Keeble and Capizzi were named to the all-tournament team.

QUOTES
Head Coach Jesse Ortiz
- On the win:
"We talked about after the Ball State loss that one thing I was proud of them for was how they (team) just kept on fighting the whole time; even though we didn't come out ahead on that one, we just kept on getting after it and that's what we saw today as well. USF was testing us and coming after us as well. They were really eager to win that third one (set) in their house. They've come a long way. That's a great team and I feel like they're going to be very formidable this season in the American (Athletic Conference). It was great. We had some people really step up today. I'm really proud of our girls."

- On the attack:
"A big part of it for us was we felt like we had a pretty good matchup with our physicality. We wanted to put a lot of physical girls on the net, wanted to be big on the block at the right antenna, we wanted to make sure we had a lot of arm speed on the left and of course use our bigs in the middle to just keep the other middles at bay. Hannah (Maddux) and (Maddie) Soboleski were something fierce tonight; it was pretty awesome."

- On the opening weekend:
"I feel like we still have room to grow and get better, but I am really excited that we have opportunities to get better and I think that's the biggest thing. Our ladies are not complacent at all. They are definitely getting after it trying to do the best that they can. There's a lot of meat on the bone in terms of us getting in there and working hard, and growing as a squad and team and I think individually they all recognize that. Today wasn't the cleanest match even though we won, but it's volleyball and the nature of the sport; you're going to win some and lose some. But if you can keep your head and keep on coming after them, you'll pull off some wins here and there."

FOLLOW THE JAGS
For complete coverage of South Alabama volleyball, follow the Jags on social media @WeAreSouth_VB (Twitter), /WeAreSouthJAGS (Facebook), @WeAreSouth_VB (Instagram) or visit the official home of South Alabama athletics at usajaguars.com.