09/10/05–
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SOUTH ALABAMA DROPS HEARTBREAKER TO CHARLESTON
SOUTHERN
CONTACT:
Kevin Beasley
Box
Score
CHARLESTON,
S.C. – The
University of South Alabama volleyball team dropped a heartbreaking
3-2 decision to Charleston Southern Saturday afternoon in the final
match of the Charleston Southern Tournament held at the CSU Field
House.
In
the opener, South Alabama (4-5) and Charleston Southern (4-4) both
came out battling. It wasn't until with the game at 22-21 in favor
of the Jags that USA was able to pull away. The Lady Jags scored
eight of the final 11 points in the game to take the opener 30-24.
South Alabama's Via Filipe put the game away with her seventh kill
of the opener.
CSU
came out in the second contest with the control early, grabbing
an early 12-6 lead. The Buccaneers eventually went on to lead by
as many as nine on two occasions, before South Alabama attempted
to claw back. The Jags were able to cut the deficit to two on five
occasions, but that was as close as they got the rest of the way.
CSU closed out the game, taking four of the final five points to
gain the 30-25 win.
The
third game began with the tournament host Bucs hot early, leading
as many as six at 9-3 on a Jillian Worby kill. The Lady Jags again
battled back and were able to tie the game at 11-11. Neither team
was able to break a three point margin over much of the remainder
of the game until with the contest tied at 21-21, the Bucs reeled
off nine unanswered points to capture the 30-21 win. The CSU run
was highlighted by four kills from Jenni Sheperd, including three
consecutive.
After
swapping the lead in the first few points, the Lady Jags took the
early control and jumped out to a quick 7-3 lead. South Alabama
went on to lead by as many as seven (16-9). Charleston Southern
continued to battle though and cut the margin to two at 19-17 before
USA closed out the game on an 11-2 run, capped off by a Colleen
Downey ace. During the run, Fiipe recorded four more kills.
In
the fifth and deciding game, the Jags got out to a quick 5-1 advantage
only to see CSU battle back and take the lead 9-8 on a Worby kill.
South Alabama regained the lead again at 12-11 on an attack error
by the Bucs but CSU went on to take the finale 15-13 when Sheperd
recorded her 21st kill of the match.
USA
was paced in kills by Filipe's team-high 20. Brittany Blackwelder
also recorded a career-high 18 kills. Along with Filipe (20 kills,
11 digs), Shannon VanAntwerp recorded her first double-double of
the season with 11 kills and 17 digs. Jade Nuss had a match-high
61 assists for USA.
Charleston
Southern received a match-high 21 kills from Sheperd, while Victoria
Owens (17), Erin Wicker (12) and Worby (10) all recorded double
figures in the category as well.
South
Alabama will return to action Sept. 16 when the Lags host the Jaguar
Challenge and take on Southern Miss at 7 p.m. at Jag Gym.
USA
30 25 21 30 13 - 2
CSU 24 30
30 19 15 - 3
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