NEW ORLEANS | For the second-straight week, South Alabama's
Anna Loberg was named the Sun Belt Conference Setter of the Week on Tuesday after guiding the Jags to a series sweep over Louisiana this past weekend.
The series sweep marked the fourth-straight for the Jaguars (12-8, 8-2 SBC), and extended their season-best, eight-match win streak. South Alabama enters play this weekend tied for the top spot in the West Division, and has now won 11 of its last 14.
Loberg posted 72 assists (12.00 per set), three aces, 21 digs (3.50 per set) in the two matches versus the Ragin' Cajuns, while also recording a double-double in both matches to extend her streak in the category to five straight.
On Thursday, Loberg directed the Jaguar offense to a season-best .382 hitting percentage. As a team, South had just six attack errors, while Loberg recorded 39 assists and added seven digs.
Loberg posted 14 assists and helped South Alabama post a .500 hitting percentage in the opening set, recording 18 kills on 34 attacks and just one attack error. The Jaguars were again on fire offensively in the second set, registering a .483 hitting percentage and didn't commit an attack error. Loberg finished with 12 assists in the set and posted 13 in the third set as the Jags completed the 3-0 sweep.
Loberg carded her fifth-straight double-double and second of the weekend with 33 assists and 10 digs, while adding three aces and five block assists on Friday.
With Loberg directing the offense,
Maradith O'Gorman finished with a .714 hitting percentage. The .714 hitting percentage by O'Gorman in the match was the fourth-highest by a Jag in program history (minimum 10 attempts) and the highest since Hannah Harris set the single-match record (.929, 13-0-14, vs. Alabama State, 9/11/18). It was also a new program record for a South Alabama player in a Sun Belt Conference match.
Loberg's impact was evident in the opening set as South Alabama posted a .371 hitting percentage with 14 kills on 35 attacks and just one error.
In the second set, Loberg teamed up with
Lillie Simons and
Dalayla Blackwell for a pair of blocks during a run as South extended its lead to 20-15. South again hit over .300 posting a .316 hitting percentage, and Loberg dished out 14 assists, while also recording four block assists. In the third and final set, Loberg had 11 assists on 13 of the Jaguars' kills.
Loberg is now averaging 9.89 assists per set, which is second-best among league setters, and in Sun Belt Conference play the Geneva, Ill., native has been even better. In league play, Loberg is averaging 10.81 assists per set, just 0.05 behind category leader Ryann Torres (10.86). South Alabama is also hitting .252 – second-highest – against conference foes.
South Alabama will open up a four-match road trip this weekend when it heads to Harrisonburg, Va., to take on James Madison. The Jags will open the series with the Dukes at 4 p.m. (CT) on Friday and then close out the series on Saturday at 11 a.m. (CT).
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