Box Score (PDF)

MOBILE, Ala. – South Alabama volleyball defeated ULM in straight sets in Sun Belt Conference action Friday at Jag Gym.

USA (8-7, 2-1 SBC) extended its home win streak to 17 games with the win, which marked its sixth straight over ULM (6-11, 0-3 SBC). South Alabama tallied a season-high 10 service aces in the match, led by Madisen Werdell and Rachel Hickey with three apiece. Hannah Maddux recorded a game-high 11 kills, a .381 hitting percentage, two service aces, three digs and one block to lead a Jaguar attack that finished with a season-high .387 team hitting percentage. 

UP NEXT
South Alabama will return to action Saturday when it hosts ULM at 1 p.m. at Jag Gym.

GAME SUMMARY
Set 1
- South Alabama doubled its lead at 8-4 with a 5-0 scoring run that featured a pair of service aces by Hannah Maddux.
- The Jags then used an 11-0 run, highlighted by two kills each from Carissa Bradford and Lillie Simons, and a block-assist by Bradford and Niki Capizzi, to take a 19-5 lead.
- A 3-0 Jag run that included a service ace by Juanita Monteiro-Pai pushed the USA advantage to 23-6.
- South Alabama earned set point at 24-7 on a kill by Evie Taylor, and clinched the set 25-7 on a service ace by Werdell.

Set 2
- A Jaguar attack error cut the ULM deficit to 10-8, but USA went on a 5-0 run, which featured consecutive service aces by Werdell and block-assist from Kailey Keeble and Capizzi, to take a 15-8 lead.
- A 4-0 Jag run, highlighted by consecutive aces by Rachel Hickey, gave South Alabama a 23-12 advantage.
- USA earned set point at 24-15 on a block-assist by Simons and Capizzi, and clinched the set 25-16 on a kill by Capizzi.

Set 3
- USA jumped out to a 5-1 lead with a 3-0 run that featured a service ace by Anna Loberg.
- The Jags went on a 4-0 run, highlighted by a pair of kills by Capizzi, to take a 13-5 lead.
- South Alabama earned match point at 24-16 on a kill by Morgan Stalcup, and clinched the set 25-16 on a Warhawk attack error.

NOTES
- South Alabama finished with a season-best .387 team hitting percentage, which marked its highest since posting a .400 hitting percentage against Alcorn State on Sept. 10, 2019.
- USA's 10 service aces are the most since the Jags recorded 11 in a sweep of Troy on Nov. 6 last season.
- The Jags totaled nine team blocks for an average of 3.00 blocks per set.
- Keeble finished with 15 assists, seven digs and one block-assist, snapping her double-double streak at three games.
- Capizzi finished with eight kills, a .636 hitting percentage, three digs and four block-assists.
- Hickey posted 11 digs, along with three assists and three service aces, marking her fifth consecutive match with 10 or more digs.

QUOTES
Head Coach Jesse Ortiz
- On the win:
"We love Jag Gym. As the season progresses, we get more reps of playing together. This thing is kind of like riding a bike, but you also have to get your reps. I thought our serving was pretty good tonight. You saw a pretty tenacious defense, and offensively we kind of blew it up."

- On playing in Jag Gym:
"I think more than anything else, we are just so comfortable in here. I love the fact that our opponents are not comfortable in here. It's a benefit to us. We have tremendous fans, and all of that energy and the whole thing combined I think we're tough to play in here for sure."

Middle blocker Niki Capizzi 
- On the win:
"I felt really good going into this game. ULM is a great team, but we were better tonight. I thought we executed very well, and our connection with our setters was there. We just did a great job overall."

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