MOBILE, Ala. ? The South Alabama volleyball team will look to snap a three-match skid Sunday afternoon when the Jags welcome Sun Belt Conference West Division leader UALR to Jag Gym. First serve versus UALR is set for Noon. USA will conclude its three-match homestand on Monday, when it host in-state rival Troy at 7 p.m.
Admission to all Jaguar home matches is free. As with all home matches, both matches will be web cast and 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.
South Alabama (6-5, 0-3 SBC) enters the Sun Belt Conference match versus UALR after falling 3-1 to Arkansas State on Thursday night. USA came out sluggish in the opening two set, losing both 25-15, but rebounded to take the third set 25-20. The Red Wolves though were able to outlast the Jags in the fourth and final set and picked up the match victory with a 31-29 win. Sophomore outside hitter Juliana Pallamin de Almeida recorded her second straight double-double, finishing the match with 14 kills and 10 digs.
Coming into the contest versus the Trojans, four starters are averaging over two kills each, led by Hristina Markova’s 2.62 kills per set. Almeida is close behind her at 2.51 kps, followed by Tereza Bendlova (2.37 kps) and Lindsay Schwartz (2.27 kps).
Defensively, freshman libero Samia Salomao leads the way with 4.27 digs per set. Through 11 matches, Salomao has recorded double-digit dig tallies nine times, including 12 against ASU on Thursday. Schwartz and Brittany Blackwelder have also provided stellar defensive play for the Jags this season, ranked fourth and seventh, respectively, in blocks per set entering play this week. Schwartz comes into the match against UALR averaging a team-best 1.10 per set, while Blackwelder is close behind (1.05 bps). Blackwelder is now just four block assists away from becoming USA’s all-time block assists leader as she sits at 270 for her career.
Entering play this past week, USA led the SBC in service aces and opponent hitting percentage. The Jags are averaging 1.61 aces per set, while allowing their opponents to hit just .141.
On Sunday, USA will continue its homestand when the Jags take on Sun Belt Conference West Division leader UALR. The Trojans enter the match with a 15-2 mark on the season, including a perfect 4-0 record in league play. On Friday, the Trojans continued their winning ways with a 3-2 road victory over Troy. The win versus Troy on Friday night was the six straight for UALR. Amilia Barakovic led the way in the victory with a match high 18 kills and a .586 hitting percentage.
Offensively, the Trojans have been led this season by the duo of Anita Bucur and Barakovic. Bucur paces the team 3.62 kills per set - sixth in the SBC - while Barakovic is close behind her at 3.50 kps - seventh in the SBC. The duo has been aided this season by junior setter Guiliana De Francesco, who leads the conference and ranks seventh nationally in assists per set at 11.48. On the defensive side of the net, senior libero Amy Haffner ranks first in the SBC and 25th in the NCAA in digs per set, averaging 4.67. Haffner is also a threat behind the service line, coming in at 0.73 - fourth best in the league.
As a team, UALR leads the Sun Belt in blocks (2.39), while ranking second in assists and third in hitting percentage, aces and opponents hitting percentage.
The meeting between USA and UALR on Sunday will be the 23rd in the all-time series. The Trojans hold a dominant 19-3 lead in the all-time series, including taking the last 14 meetings. The last South Alabama victory over the Trojans came back during the 1995 season. Last year, UALR swept the Jags 3-0 (30-17, 30-27, 30-22) in Little Rock.
Coming off a 3-2 loss to UALR on Friday, Troy currently sits at 9-9 on the season and 0-3 in conference play. Against UALR on Friday, Aubre Smith and Megan Gilroy each led the way with 14 kills apiece. Like the Jags, the Trojans dropped both its matches on the road last weekend, falling to Florida International and Florida Atlantic. The Trojans will take on Arkansas State on Saturday before heading to Mobile.
Offensively, Gilroy paces the team with 3.59 kills per set. The junior middle blocker entered action this weekend ranked third in the Sun Belt in that category.
The serve/receive game has been a strength this season for the Trojans as they are averaging 1.55 aces per set. Coming into play this week, senior Megan Washlow led the league individually in that category, while Vicky Rogoschewsky was third. After with her three aces on Friday, Washlow now sits at 28 on the year - 0.42 per set. Rogoschewsky is close behind her at 0.33 aps.
The meeting between South Alabama and Troy on Monday night will be the 50th in the all-time series. The Jaguars hold a commanding 32-17 lead in the all-time series, but have dropped five of the last six meetings against the Trojans, including both a season-ago.
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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