MOBILE, Ala. ? The University of South Alabama volleyball team will host a pair of key Sun Belt Conference East Division matches this weekend, when the Jags welcome perennial league powers Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee this weekend at Jag Gym. USA will take open the weekend against the Lady Toppers on Friday night at 7 p.m. and then take on the Blue Raiders on Saturday in its home finale, also slated to start at 7 p.m. Prior to the match against Middle Tennessee, the Jags will honor senior volleyball players Brittany Blackwelder and Colleen Downey.
Admission to all Jaguar home matches is free. The contest versus the Blue Raiders on Saturday will be the only volleyball match this weekend web cast. The match against MTSU will be available via the web at www.usajaguars.com as part of the Jaguar Nation package. A monthly subscription to Jaguar Nation is just $9.95. T-shirts will also be tossed out to fans both nights every time the Jags record an ace and Saturday will also be “Student Appreciation Night”. Free pizza will be give out.
South Alabama (10-10, 4-8 SBC) enters the Sun Belt Conference match versus Western Kentucky after falling 3-0 (23-25, 18-25, 13-25) at West Division leading Denver on Sunday. Against the Pioneers, the Jag offense struggled, recording 26 attack errors for a .000 hitting percentage and allowed 40 DU kills. USA also picked up a huge 3-1 victory at North Texas on Friday.
Despite the loss to the Pioneers, South Alabama has won three of its last five matches coming into action this weekend, with the only two losses coming to division leaders Florida International (East) and Denver (West).
As has been the case for most of the season, USA has four starters are averaging over two kills each, led by sophomore outside hitter Juliana Pallamin de Almeida at 2.61 kills per set, entering the match versus WKU. Fellow sophomore Hristina Markova’s 2.55 kps is close behind Almeida, followed by freshman middle blocker Lindsay Schwartz (2.13 kps) and Tereza Bendlova (2.08 kps).
Schwartz and Blackwelder have also been solid on the front line for the Jags this season as the duo ranks second and fifth in the Sun Belt, respectively, in blocks per set. Schwartz enters the match against WKU averaging a team-best 1.17 per set, while Blackwelder sits at 1.04 bps. As a team, USA ranks second in the Sun Belt in blocks per set at 2.41, while also ranking second in the league in opponent hitting percentage (.167) and fourth in aces (1.45 per set).
Sophomore setter Maria Kashavelova leads the team and ranks ninth in service aces, averaging 0.31 per set. On the year, Kashavelova has recorded 23 aces, 15 of which have come in SBC action.
Western Kentucky comes into the match versus the Jags on Friday with a 17-9 record on the season and a 6-5 mark in the Sun Belt. Last week, the Lady Toppers swept all three matches against the three Louisiana schools, picking up a 3-2 victory over New Orleans and a pair of 3-0 wins over Louisiana-Lafayette and Louisiana-Monroe. The three wins over the weekend also snapped a four-match skid for the Toppers.
In this week’s NCAA RPI rankings, Western Kentucky is one of six of the SBC’s teams to rank in the top 64, coming in at No. 45. As a team, Western Kentucky ranks 10th nationally and first in the league in hitting percentage at .278. Last season, WKU became the first Sun Belt team to ever earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Individually, senior middle blocker Megan Argabright leads the club offensively with 3.38 kills per set. The preseason all-conference selection is also recording a .370 hitting percentage. Argabright ranks third and eighth, respectively in those two categories. Fellow senior setter and preseason all-SBC selection Julia Noe enters play this weekend ranked sixth in the league in both hitting (.348) and setting (9.95 assists per set).
During the non-conference season, WKU picked some big wins, defeating Alabama, Arizona State, Iowa, Virginia Tech and Texas Tech. WKU though has struggled on the road in conference play, holding just a 1-4 record away from Bowling Green.
The meeting on Friday night between South Alabama and Western Kentucky will be 38th in the all-time series between the two programs. WKU holds a huge advantage in the series with a 28-9 edge, including taking the last 16 meetings in the series. The last time, USA was victorious was during the 1995 season when the Lady Jags won 3-1 in Mobile.
Saturday’s opponent, Middle Tennessee comes into the match up versus the Jags sitting a full match behind Florida International in the Sun Belt Conference’s East Division with a 9-2 league record. The Blue Raiders are also 19-4 on the year - just one win away of recording its fourth-straight 20-win season. Last year, Middle Tennessee advanced all the way to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament and appear on the verge of making another trip to the tournament as the Blue Raiders are ranked 22nd nationally in the latest RPI rankings.
The Blue Raiders have won nine of their last 11 matches and have been ranked among the nation’s best for most of the season. As a team, MTSU is ranked 13th in the nation in hitting percentage (.276), while also ranking 42nd in assist per set (12.63).
Middle Tennessee ranks second in the Sun Belt in those same two categories, but lead the conference in both opponent hitting percentage (.135) and blocks (2.64 per set). In conference play, the Blue Raiders have been even better, leading the league in kills, hitting percentage, opponent hitting percentage, assists and blocks against conference foes.
Senior middle blocker Ashley Asberry has been the main weapon for Middle Tennessee this year. In her final collegiate season, Asberry has consistently been ranked among the top five nationally in hitting percentage. She is currently ranked third in the nation at .474 - second highest ever by a Sun Belt player in a season. Along with leading the Sun Belt in that category, Asberry also leads the league in blocks with 1.42 per set. This past week, Asberry was selected as the Sun Belt’s Offensive Player of the Week after posting 60 kills and 33 blocks in her three matches.
Junior Ashley Mead leads the club with kills per set at 3.50. She is followed by sophomore outside hitter Izabela Kozon with 3.30 per set and Asberry with 3.24 per set.
Leslie Clark has been outstanding directing the Blue Raider offense thus far this season. Clark currently ranks 12th nationally in assists per set with 11.49 per set.
The meeting between South Alabama and Middle Tennessee this weekend will be the ninth all-time in the series. The Blue Raiders have completely dominated the series to this point capturing all eight previous meetings. Prior to the start of this season, the Blue Raiders had to vacate their victories over the Jags during the 2003, 2004 and 2005 seasons. Last season, MTSU picked up a pair of 3-0 victories.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
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