MOBILE, Ala. - South Alabama (14-3, 5-0) cruises in the final three sets for the win over Arkansas State (11-6, 1-4).
In the opening set South let up an early lead, with intermittent points for the Jags to keep them competitive. USA put together a late 6-0 run, including two Niki Capizzi kills and a Maddie Soboleski ace to bring the score back within one. The Jags worked up a 21-19 advantage before the Red Wolves dropped down a 5-0 run and let up a consolation point before scoring the set-clinching kill, 25-22.
Set two started with a bang for the Jaguars as Hannah Maddux sent over her first service ace of the night among a 5-0 opening. The early five points was just the beginning, as South rang up a 9-1 run for a resounding 13 point lead. Capizzi and Kailey Keeble hopped up for a block before each logged an ace each during the streak. Capizzi tallied another block, this time with Abryanna Cannon for one of the closing points in the set. Capizzi hammered home point 23, then a service error sent her back to serve, where she ended it herself with her second ace of the set at 25-13.
The third set began evenly until another USA run put Arkansas State in a seven point hole built with the help of three early kills from Soboleski. It looked as if any step forward the Red Wolves took, the Jaguars took two as another double-digit lead developed and South ended the set 25-16 among a flurry of Maddux kills.
In set four, an early Anna Loberg ace signaled like a death knell for Arkansas State, as another 10 point lead appeared before the Red Wolves eclipsed 10 of their own. It was a team effort for the Jags, with multiple kills by Maddux and Soboleski, a Lillie Simons-Keeble block, a solo block by Maddux. ASU picked up another two points before the Jags ended it with a suffocating 9-0 run packed with a Simons-Cannon block, two Simons kills, and three service aces from Maddux, with the third being the nail in the coffin in a dominant 25-8 set.
Libero Paige Lynn set her career high in digs, with 24, as well as adding two assists. Maddux and Soboleski ended the night with 14 kills each, while Maddux led the team with four aces and Soboleski finished with a season high 18 digs. Keeble had another double-double performance off 44 assists and 17 digs. Simons hit 8-10 offensively while also leading the team with three total blocks. Capizzi tallied up nine kills while also tying Cannon and Keeble with two total blocks.
NOTES
- South has held its opponent under .100 hitting percentage in three different matches this season
- With tonight's 80 digs, the Jags now have three 80+ dig games this season, with two in conference play.
- Soboleski's 14 and 18 performance marks her as the fourth South Alabama player to reach 30+ career double-doubles.
QUOTES
Junior Lillie Simons
On the team's performance today
"I think that first set was just kind of getting our jitters out. I thought we got stronger as we went and I thought we did a great job answering back in the last three sets. I'm really proud of my team and our ability to fight back."
Head Coach Jesse Ortiz
On the team's performance today
"I absolutely love that our group is able to adapt after that first set, and we fought back in it. I think it was a five point difference. They're (Arkansas State) tremendously good, the arm speed, the athleticism on that side. They're really young right now, so that's a great team to make and he's (Head Coach Brian Gerwig) done a good job assembling them. I really love the fact that my group was able to rebound and really take it to them in sets two, three, and four."
UP NEXT
USA will run it back with the Red Wolves on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 1 p.m.
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