October 4, 2014
Bobcats Cook the Ragin’ Cajuns, 3-0
SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State chose Homecoming weekend to play the team’s best match of the season. The Bobcats simply dominated UL Lafayette, 3-0 (25-15, 25-15, 25-17), to improve to 11-7 on the season and an undefeated 6-0 in Sun Belt Conference play for the team’s best conference start since 2003.
Amanda Watkins put on an outstanding performance, tying her career high in kills and setting a new career high in hitting percentage. She finished with a match-high nine kills on a .467 hitting percentage. The junior middle blocker was hitting .818 after two sets in a dominating performance.
What helped the Bobcats most was how setters Ali Gonzales and Jordan Moore along with libero Sierra Smith spread the ball around. Kelsey Weynand and Jordan Kohl each finished with eight kills while Shelby Vas Matt, Keeley Davis and Lauren Kirch all had six kills each.
The Bobcats tallied 43 kills to just 24 for the Ragin’ Cajuns and hit .236 as a team compared to just .017 for ULL. Gonzales and Moore each gave out 16 assists while Smith added eight.
While Watkins was a threat in the middle offensively, Kirch was a terror at the net defensively. She put down six block assists to help Texas State to seven blocks on the day. Smith finished with 15 digs and played an impressive game on the back line. Meanwhile, Moore tallied 10 digs for her fifth double-double of the season. Gonzales added nine digs while Weynand finished with eight. The Bobcats tallied 61 total digs in the match to just 42 for UL Lafayette.
To start the match, Texas State hit .235 while holding UL Lafayette to -.050 in hitting percentage for the first set. The Bobcats put down 14 kills compared to just seven for the Ragin’ Cajuns. Five of those first-set kills came from Watkins on just seven attempts.
The second set was just as impressive as Watkins was a perfect 4-for-4. In both frames, six different Bobcats registered at least one kill.
The Bobcats also tallied two service aces in each set for a 6-0 advantage over the Ragin’ Cajuns. Kirch and Weynand each had two while Smith and Brenna Lyles served one each.
Texas State will travel to face UT Arlington Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. for the team’s next action. It’ll be the first rematch of the season for the Bobcats after taking down the Mavericks in a five-set thriller to open conference play back on September 16.
Bobcats Take Down Cajuns In San Marcos
SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns hit a season-low .017 for the match and dropped a 3-0 (25-15, 25-15, 25-xx) decision to Texas State on Saturday afternoon at Strahan Coliseum.
The Bobcats (11-7, 6-0 SBC) remained undefeated in Sun Belt Conference play, one of two teams still undefeated in league contests. The Cajuns, meanwhile, fell 3.5 matches back of Texas State in the league standings with the loss.
Middle blockers Chanelle Gardner and Kae Kae Lockhart led UL with five kills apiece, with Lockhart adding three blocks. Andrea Hole had three blocks of her own, in addition to two kills and 18 assists.
Sara Mossakowski finished with a team-high 11 digs and four kills, and Stacey Reilly and kaylee Nemeth had three kills apiece. Caitlyn Auxilien added 10 digs.
The Bobcats, meanwhile, put together a balanced attack, hitting .236 and posting six players with at least six kills. Amanda Watkins lead Texas State with nine kills and a block.
Texas State hit .235 in the first set and led by as many as 12 points, holding UL to its worst hitting set of the match at -.050 in the opener. It took a 2-0 lead into the half one set later, outkilling the Cajuns 16-6 and using a 12-5 run midway through the set to open it up.
The Bobcats closed it out in the third, despite the Cajuns keeping it tight throughout the first half of the frame. UL tied the scored at 9-9 on a kill from Mossakowski, but Lauren Kirch answered for Texas State to regain the lead and the Bobcats went on to outscore the Cajuns 16-8 to close out the set.
UL will have a full week of matches next week, starting Wednesday at ULM. The Cajuns will then return home for consecutive matches on Friday and Saturday against UALR and Troy.
Jaguars Rally Back and Snap Three Match Skid With 3-1 Win At GSU
ATLANTA – The University of South Alabama volleyball team dropped the first set of the match to Georgia State Saturday night, but rallied back to pick up the final three to pick up a 3-1 (22-25, 25-15, 25-19, 25-21) Sun Belt Conference win over the Panthers at the GSU Sports Arena. The win snaps a three-match skid for the Jags.
The Jaguars (8-8, 3-3 SBC) will close out its three-match road trip on Wednesday night at in-state rival Troy. First serve versus the Trojans is set for 6 p.m. at Trojan Arena.
Mechell Daniel and Jessica Lewis led the way offensively for South Alabama in the win. Daniel recorded 16 kills and hit .385 – a season-best for the Chelmsford, England native, committing just one attack errors in her 39 attempts, while Lewis was just as effective with 14 kills and hit .324 in the match.
Nikki Gittens also added eight kills and hit .438, while also leading the team with four total blocks – one solo and three assists, while Symone Stephenson had seven kills and hit .308.
The .338 hitting percentage by the Jaguars in the win was its second highest this season. USA also hit .368 in its straight-set win over the Panthers earlier this season in Mobile.
South Alabama also held a 10-7 advantage in the service game. The 10 service aces by South Alabama tied a season-high, matching the 10 versus Northwestern State. Emily Hundt led the way with four aces, while Jenna Hassell and Savannah Stewart each had two aces each.
Abby Baker led USA with 15 digs, while Hassell chipped in with 11 digs of her own.
Georgia State falls to 3-12 and 1-5 in the SBC with the loss. Eliza Zachary led all players with 18 kills in the match and also posted a .531 hitting percentage and five total blocks – two solo and three assists. Deidra Bohannon was close behind Zachary with 15 kills of her own, while she also added 14 digs. Kitan Ajanaku just missed double digits a she had nine kills in the loss.
SET ONE: GEORGIA STATE 25, SOUTH ALABAMA 21
Georgia State grabbed the first three points of the match on a kill by Zachary and a pair of aces from Sydney Mauer.
With the Panthers holding a 10-5 advantage, the Jaguars rallied back with four-straight points and pulled within one (10-9) after a kill by Stephenson, but Georgia State answered with four consecutive points of its own to extend its lead back out to five.
USA once again fought its way back and tied the set back up at 16-16 on a kill by Gittens.
With the set tied at 21-21 though, the Panthers were able to close out the frame strong, picking up four of the final five points to take the set, 25-22 on Zachary's fifth kill of the match..
GSU was very efficient during the opening set, posting a .412 hitting percentage.
SET TWO: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, GEORGIA STATE 15
Daniel helped the Jags get off to a quick start in the second set as the sophomore recorded a pair of kills during a 3-1 spurt at the start of the frame.
With USA still holding a three-point advantage (8-5), South Alabama broke things open with a 9-2 run over the next 11 points to extend its lead out to double figures. Jessica Lewis began the run with one of her five kills in the set and Daniel then capped things off when she slammed home back-to-back kills, giving South Alabama a 17-7 lead.
Lewis later put the Jaguars one point away from evening up the match at a set a piece as the sophomore outside hitter recorded a pair of kills to put USA out in front 24-11.
GSU was able to fight off four set points, but coming out of a time out Lewis clinched the 25-15 second-set win.
South Alabama tied a season-high for set hitting percentage in the second frame. USA had 14 kills on 26 attacks and committed just one attack error for a .500 hitting percentage. The Jags also hit .500 in the fifth set versus Montana back on Sept. 5.
SET THREE: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, GEORGIA STATE 19
The Panthers held a three-point lead early on in the third set, but trailing 7-4, the Jaguars reeled off five-straight points and seven of the next nine to take the lead for good. Lewis and Moore began the scoring with a kill each. Hundt then followed with three aces and after a GSU point, Stephenson and Daniel capped off the scoring and gave USA an 11-8 advantage with a kill each.
GSU was able to narrow the deficit to one three times over the next several points, but holding a 17-16 lead, the Jaguars pulled away for good with a 5-1 spurt. From there, South Alabama went on to take the set as Daniel sealed the 25-19 victory with her sixth kill of the frame.
SET FOUR: SOUTH ALABAMA 25, GEORGIA STATE 21
The fourth and final set was tight throughout the first half of the frame with neither team gaining more than a two-point advantage on the other.
Georgia State finally pushed its lead out to three and led 19-16 following a kill by Bohannon, but the Panthers would commit two attack errors on each of the next two points to begin a 7-0 run for South Alabama. Emma Anderson and Gittens combined to turn back a GSU attack to tie the set up at 19-19 and on the next point, Savannah Stewart dropped in the Jaguars' ninth service ace of the match to give USA the lead for good. Stewart latter capped off the run and gave the Jags a 23-19 lead with another ace.
Gittens later clinched the match and sealed the 25-21 fourth-set win with a kill.
NOTES: With the win versus Georgia State on Sunday, the Jaguars improved to 6-2 in the all-time series and have now won the last five meetings. USA is also now 3-1 in the series on GSU's home floor and has won three-straight. The .385 hitting percentage for Mechell Daniel was a season-high for the Jag outside hitter. The .338 hitting percentage by the Jaguars in the win was its second highest this season. USA also hit .368 in its straight-set win over the Panthers earlier this season in Mobile. The 10 service aces by South Alabama versus the Panthers tied a season-high, matching the 10 versus Northwestern State. Emily Hundt led the way with four aces, while Jenna Hassell and Savannah Stewart each had two aces each. South Alabama tied a season-high for set hitting percentage in the second frame. USA had 14 kills on 26 attacks and committed just one attack error for a .500 hitting percentage. The Jags also hit .500 in the fifth set versus Montana back on Sept. 5.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
Georgia State Drops Home Match 3-1
ATLANTA – After winning the first set 25-22, Georgia State’s volleyball team fell to South Alabama, 3-1, on Saturday at the GSU Sports Arena. Junior Eliza Zachary led all players with 18 kills and a .531 attack percentage.
“We are such a better team since we first played South Alabama two weeks ago, but we still have a long way to go,” head coach Sally Polhamus said. “We were aggressive in the first set and we controlled the passing game, but we have to play aggressive in every set to win.”
The Panthers (3-12, 1-5 SBC) came out on fire in front of the home crowd on Saturday night. GSU never trailed in the first set and used five team blocks and a .429 hitting percentage to control the game. Zachary and sophomore Kristina Stinson each had three block assists to help guide a 25-23 win for Georgia State.
“We focused a lot on eye sequencing in practice this week. It really helped because we were all on the same page on defense,” Zachary said. “I try to be encouraging and positive when something doesn’t go our way so that we can move on and win the next point.
Zachary is coming off a career match in which she had a career-high 22 kills vs. UL Lafayette on Thursday. Heading into play on Saturday, she was fourth in the conference with a .350 hitting percentage.
The tables were turned in set two as South Alabama (8-8, 3-3 SBC) hit .500 on its way to a 25-15 victory to even the match at 1-1. After intermission, the Panthers and Jaguars traded blows for the remainder of the match. Georgia State came up short in the end, and lost 25-19 and 25-21 in sets three and four, respectively. Mechell Daniel hit .385 with 16 kills to lead the Jaguars and Jessica Lewis added 14 kills on .324 hitting.
NOTING THE PANTHERS…
·Junior Deidra Bohannon recorded her second consecutive double-double with 15 kills and 14 digs. It was her fifth on the season.
·Junior Eliza Zachary finished the match with 18 kills and a .531 hit percentage. Zachary also paced the Panther defense with her five total blocks. Polhamus called Zachary’s attitude on the court “contagious” and noted that the team feeds off the middle blocker’s energy and high level of play.
· Junior Kitan Ajanaku hit .286 with nine kills and a block. Sophomore Kristina Stinson added six kills while junior Natalia Nieto led all players in assists with 48.
NEXT UP…
The Panthers stay at home for a Wednesday night meeting with rival Georgia Southern. The match is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Oct. 8 at the GSU Sports Arena. The Eagles are 2-12 on the season and host UALR on Sunday before coming to Atlanta on Wednesday.