MOBILE, Ala. ? The University of South Alabama volleyball team returns to action Tuesday night when the Jags take on cross-town foe Mobile at Pharr Gym on the UM campus. First serve is set for 7:30 p.m. and admission is $5 for the general public and $3 for college students with a valid ID. The match can also be accessed via the web www.umobile.edu/athletic/umsportsweb.asp.
“I am glad that we are having a mid-week match this week,” South Alabama head coach Nicole Keshock said. “It will be a good opportunity for us to correct some of the issue that we had on Saturday. I anticipate there to be lots of fans and a good atmosphere for our match at Mobile.”
South Alabama enters the match versus the Rams after dropping its season-opener 3-1 at Mercer on Saturday. Against Mercer, USA took the opening game 32-20, but went on to drop the final three contest of the match. True freshman Hristina Markova led the Jag offense with 12 kills and a .310 hitting percentage. Jenna Swilley also finished in double figures with 10 kills and13 digs to give the senior her first double-double of the season. Senior libero Shannon VanAntwerp recorded a team-high 18 digs for the Jags.
The key stat to the game was in the service category, where Mercer recorded 11 aces on the day, while South Alabama hampered its efforts with 15 service errors in the four games.
The contest versus the Jags on Tuesday night will be the season-opener for the Rams. Mobile is coming off a 31-7 campaign a season ago. The Lady Rams also captured the regular season Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championship in 2006.
Mobile returns seven players from last year's championship team. Junior outside hitter Syretta Baldwin was named GCAC Player of the Year last season and led the team in attack percentage (.352). She also ranked second on the club in kills per game with 3.33. In her first season at the collegiate level, Whitney Knight recorded a team-best 3.41 kpg and was named the GCAC Freshman of the Year. Nicole Stokes earned GCAC Setter of the Year honors in 2006 and Tasha Buchanan and Paula Stilkey were also named to the All-GCAC First Team.
The meeting Tuesday night between USA and Mobile will be the first-ever in the two programs’ history. The last time the Jags faced a NAIA opponent was on Nov. 8, 2005 when South Alabama hosted Spring Hill and defeated them 3-0 (30-23, 30-19, 30-22) at Jag Gym.
