10/21/05–
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USA VOLLEYBALL WINS 3-2 THRILLER OVER ASU TO
SNAP 17-MATCH CONFERENCE LOSING STREAK
JAGS TO TAKE ON UALR ON SATURDAY AT 4 P.M.
CONTACT: Kevin Beasley
Box
Score
MOBILE, Ala. - The University of South Alabama women's
volleyball team snapped a 17-match Sun Belt Conference losing streak
Friday evening with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Arkansas State
at Jag Gym. The win also broke an 11-match losing streak to the
Indians.
USA (7-13, 1-6
SBC) will take on Arkansas-Little Rock on Saturday at 4 p.m. Admission
is free.
"I told
our team in between games two and three that the way we played in
the first two games was the best that we had played all year,"
said head coach Nicole Keshock. "We came out determined and
played with no fear. I really believed that we came together tonight
and everybody stepped up and did what they had to do for us to get
the win. This was a very exciting match."
Arkansas State
(8-14, 2-5 SBC) broke an early tie in game one with a 4-1 spurt
to take a 10-6 lead, capped off by a Kristen Kirby kill. South Alabama
kept battling through out the opener and eventually knotted the
score at 20-20 after an Indian attack error. Three more ASU errant
attacks gave the Jags their first lead of the game at 23-20. USA
held a 27-24 lead after a Via Filipe kill, but ASU recorded six
of the next seven points to take game one 30-28.
The Indians
came out in the second contest and held the early momentum, jumping
out to a quick 8-3 advantage on another Kirby put away. Once again,
South Alabama continued to battle and tied the game at 11-apiece
on a Shannon VanAntwerp kill. ASU responded to the Jag run and put
together a 6-1 spurt of its own to push the margin back out to five.
The Jag women again did not give in and kept battling and again
tied the game at 24-all, this time courtesy of another ASU attack
error. After exchanging the lead for much of the rest of the way,
Jade Nuss gave USA the lead for good with a kill and Filipe gave
South Alabama the 31-29 victory with one of her seven service aces
on the night.
Game three started
out just like the first two with ASU holding the early advantage
at 13-7. South Alabama kept attempting to rally, but could only
get as close as two on six occasions before eventually falling 30-25
and giving the Lady Indians the 2-1 match lead.
In the fourth
game of the match, it was nip-and-tuck early on until with the match
at 8-8, USA put together a 6-1 streak that was highlighted by three
more Filipe service aces. South Alabama stretched its margin out
to seven twice, before ASU was able to cut the deficit to 26-25
on a Phillipa Soulsby kill. USA however closed out the fourth game
by taking four of the final six points to even the match at two
games each with a 30-27 victory.
The fifth and
deciding game was a tight affair just like the previous four had
been. After USA held an early 7-4 advantage, the two clubs would
eventually be tied again. With the Indians holding match point at
15-14, the Lady Jags reeled off three unanswered points to complete
the thrilling 3-2 victory with a 17-15 win in the finale.
Filipe's seven
kills in the game tied for third place all-time in that category.
The Jag junior also had 16 kills to go along with her serving. Jenna
Swilley led the Jags with 19 kills on the night and finished with
a blistering .432 hitting percentage. Whitney Sanders also recorded
double figures with 17 kills of her own. Nuss also had 63 assists
on the night for USA. The Jags also recorded a season-high 16 services
aces as a team.
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