Jaguar Volleyball Falls To Redwolves 3-0
The Jaguar volleyball team dropped their second consecutive match on Saturday evening to Arkansas State 0-3 (19-25, 17-25, 16-25) to fall to 7-7 overall and 2-2 in conference play.
Jessica Lewis recoded her ninth double-figure kill match on Saturday night with 11. Nikki Gittens added eight kills and a .462 hitting percentage. Abby Baker added 15 digs to lead the back court.
Sarah Richardson recorded five kills, a .308 hitting average, and two blocks in her first start as a Jaguar.
The Redwolves improved to 8-5 overall and 3-1 in conference play. They were led by Sarah Kemp’s 12 kills. Kelsey Reis added nine kills while hitting .389.
Arkansas State held a 17-4 advantage in total blocks.
The Jaguars will travel to face Appalachian State in Boone, NC on Friday, November 3 then face Georgia State in Atlanta on Saturday, November 4.
Jags Snap Trojans Eight Match Winning Streak With 2-1 Win
The USA Soccer team used two goals in the first eight minutes of the match to defeat in-state rival Troy 2-1 at The Cage Friday night.
The Jaguars improved to 9-2 overall and 1-0 in the Sun Belt Conference on the season. They also extended their winning streak to seven games with the win and snapped Troy’s eight-match winning streak as the Trojans fell to 8-3 and 0-1 in conference play.
Rio Hard, a freshman from Workington, England, scored the first goal of the match and her sixth of the season as the Jags snapped Troy’s eight match winning streak and extended their own streak to seven matches. | Photo: usajaguars.com
The Jaguars took advantage of a Trojan miscue when freshman Rio Hardy picked up an errant back pass to the Trojan goalkeeper and walked into the net in the fourth minute of the match for her sixth goal of the season.
In the seventh minute of the match, freshman Sophie Haywood knocked home a free kick from sophomore Nikki Shirtcliffe to double the Jaguar advantage at 2-0.
The Jags and Trojans were stalemated for the next 75 minutes until Troy’s Georgia Wallis’ free kick from the top of the 18-yard box that deflected off Jaguar goalie Sarah Hay and went into the net to half the Jaguars lead to 2-1. South Alabama clamped down their defense as the Trojans did not get another attempt.
The goal allowed by Hay was the first in 532 minutes since the season opener against UAB. The Jags came into the match ranked 10th in the nation in goal against average.
“It was a great result, but I know we can play a lot better than that,” Jaguar head coach Graham Winkworth said. “Credit Troy, they played extremely well. They caused a lot of problems and we managed to solve most of them as the game went on, and I thought the second half was much better. It’s important to get the first win. Sometimes wins come a little bit ugly and I’m pleased we got the result today.”
The team will have the week off before resuming their conference schedule on Friday when they host Louisiana-Monroe beginning at 7pm.
South Alabama Defeats Idaho 34-10
Brandon Bridge completed six of his first seven passes including a 51 yard strike to Claude Garrett as the Jaguars came away with a 34-10 win over the Idaho Vandals in Moscow, ID.
The Jaguars offense seemed to correct the problems that had plagued them the last two games as they put up 429 yards of total offense against the Vandals. Bridge went 15-of-25 for 196 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He completed passes to seven different receivers, his favorite in the game was Shavarez Smith who caught 6 passes for 44 yards. Wes Saxton caught three for 18 yards and Jereme Jones caught two for 11 yards. Claude Garrett caught his first touchdown pass as a Jaguar, his only catch of the game.
Jay Jones went for 108 yards on 18 carries, his second 100 yard game of the season but his first since the season opener against Kent State. Brandon Bridge added 71 yards, including a 54 yard touchdown run, on six carries.
“We got a lot better, but we have to continue to improve,” head coach Joey Jones said about his offense. “I’m never satisfied, we’re going to get there. But I thought we were a much‐improved offense this week. I think we are honing in on what we are good at, and the coaching staff is doing a good job of calling plays we are good at running. We have to continue to do that and continue to get better.”
Qudarius Ford led the defense with nine stops, Demarius Rancifer added seven stops and a sack filling in for injured Jaguars. Montell Garner had five stops, a sack and an interception returned 59 yards for a touchdown. In all, the Jaguar defense sacked redshirt freshman Matt Linehan seven times.
“Our defense is playing hard,” Jones observed. “They are getting after it, and that’s the way we play defense here at South Alabama. Our defensive front did a great job. The guys covered well, the linebackers were fitting holes – it was a total team effort. All of the coaches did a great job. (Defensive coordinator) Coach (Travis) Pearson and his staff did a heck of a job. When you play defense like that then you have a chance. That is one of the best offenses in the league, and we did a great job stopping them.”
USA opened the scoring with under four minutes left in the opening quarter with Bridge’s strike to Garrett. Then 36 seconds later Garner would pick off Linehan and take it to the house to give the Jaguars a 14-0 lead.
The Jags would add a 19 yard field goal by Grant McLaurin to go up 17-0 with 8:41 left in the second quarter.
The Jaguar defense would force the Vandals to attempt a 40-yard field goal, but the kick would sail wide left with 2:03 left in the half.
Head coach Joey Jones was content to go to the locker room with a 17 point advantage but the Vandals would open the door with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after stopping the Jags on third down which gave USA a first down at the 41 yard line and plenty of time to get into scoring position. Bridge would connect with Smith for back-to-back completions, with the last going 10 yards and out of bounds at the Idaho 27. McLaurin would drill the 44 yard attempt to give the Jags a 20-0 lead at the half.
The Jaguars would only need three plays to get back onto the board again. Facing third and 1 at the USA 46, Bridge would call his own number and sprint 54 yards untouched for the touchdown to go up 27-0 with only 1:26 off the clock.
But then Idaho started a comeback attempt.
The Vandals would start at their own 16 and drive down to the Jaguar 11 before penalties backed them up and forced them to kick a 37 yard field goal to cut the Jaguar lead to 27-3 with 6:54 left in the third quarter.
On the first play of the Jaguars next possession, Bridge’s pass intended for Jereme Jones would be picked off at USA’s 30 yard line. Then back-to-back defensive holding calls would set up Linehan find Joshua McCain for a 10 yard touchdown to further cut the Jaguar lead to 27-10 with 6:25 left in the third quarter.
The Vandals would get the ball back two plays later when the referees ruled that Kendall Houston fumbled the ball at the USA 44, but the replay seemed to show that he was down before the ball came out. Again the Vandals would get deep into Jaguar territory at the 10 yard line but a penalty followed by a Jerome McClain sack would stall the drive at the Jaguar 23 forcing another field goal attempt, which Rehkow would again miss left from 40 yards out with 3:18 left in the quarter.
The Jaguar defense would sack Lineham for a 12 yard loss on a 4th and 2 at the Jaguar 43 to set up the Jaguars final score of the game. After a scramble for no gain, Bridge would find Antonio Carter for a 27 yard gain to the Vandal 18, then Jay Jones would cover the final distance on the next play to give the Jags the final score of 34-10 with 8:00 left in the game.
The Jaguar defense would sack Lineham three times and intercept him in the Vandals last two possessions of the game to close out the game.
“I thought the guys really adapted well after coming out here on the road with a four‐hour plane ride,” Jones said after the game. “We were ready to play when we started the football game. We just played with more fire and passion, and you have to do that. We played smart early and started off on a good note, and I think that propelled us through the end of the game.”
Next up the Jaguars (2-2, 1-1 SBC) will travel to Boone, NC to face conference newcomer Appalachian State (1-3, 0-1 SBC).
Gameday: South Alabama vs Idaho
Both South Alabama and Idaho look to get their first conference win of the season. South Alabama’s offense has been disappointing as they return 9 of 11 starters from a year ago, but just have not found that spark to make them gel on a consistent basis.
After scoring 16 points in the first half against Kent State, the Jaguars have only managed to score 16 points in the last 10 quarters and only seven points in the second half. They average under 11 points per game and rank in the bottom half of the conference in most offensive statistics. Their highest ranking is in rushing offense per game with 130 yards which is good for 6th in the conference.
Defensively the Jaguars are playing very well but the statistics don’t show it. They have been put in some tough positions and have done as well as expected. Despite the offensive production being lackluster and +3 in turnovers, they still rank in the top half of the conference in several categories. But they will be tested by Idaho this week. The Vandals enter the game with the top ranked passing offense in the conference. But they are very one dimensional because they rank last in the conference in rushing with just over 75 yards per game. They can put points on the board.
This is a huge game for the Jaguars, particularly the offense. They enter a stretch of five games where their combined records are 3-15 with both Idaho and Troy both winless. The Jags cannot afford to lose this game and fall to 0-2 in the conference.
Here are the key statistics for the Jaguars and the Vandals.
| South Alabama (SBC Rank) | Idaho (SBC Rank) | |
| Offense | ||
| Scoring Offense | 10.7 (11th) | 29.3 (6th) |
| Total Offense | 329.3 (9th) | 422.0 (6th) |
| Rushing Offense | 130.0 (7th) | 75.7 (11th) |
| Passing Offense | 199.3 (10th) | 346.3 (1st) |
| Pass Efficiency | 92.0 (11th) | 130.3 (4th) |
| Sacks Against | 12 (T9th) | 11 (8th) |
| First Downs (avg/game) | 20.7 (10th) | 23.7 (7th) |
| 3rd Down Conversions | 17-49 34.7% (10th) | 25-54 46.3% (5th) |
| 4th Down Conversions | 1-4 25.0% (T9th) | 6-7 85.7% (T1st) |
| Red Zone Conversion Percentage | 3-6 50.0% (11th) | 8-10 80.0% (T5th) |
| Defense | ||
| Scoring Defense | 25.3 (5th) | 39.7 (9th) |
| Total Defense | 403.7 (6th) | 507.7 (11th) |
| Rushing Defense | 229.0 (8rd) | 221.7 (7th) |
| Passing Defense | 174.7 (4th) | 286.0 (11th) |
| Pass Defense Efficiency | 123.0 (5th) | 172.0 (11th) |
| Opponent 1st Downs (avg/game) | 19.0 (4th) | 23.3 (T9th) |
| Opponent 3rd Down Conversions | 19-43 44.2% (7th) | 13-35 37.1% (3rd) |
| Opponent 4th Down Conversions | 1-1 100.0% (T9th) | 2-5 40.0% (4th) |
| Opponent Red Zone Conv. % | 7-9 77.8% (4nd) | 12-14 85.7% (6th) |
| Special Teams | ||
| Kickoff Return Average | 23.9 (2nd) | 18.4 (9th) |
| Punt Return Average | 2.0 (T9th) | 2.0 (T9th) |
| Punting | 36.2 (7th) | 44.1 (1st) |
| Field Goals | 1-2 (T7th) | 3-3 (T1st) |
| Penalties | 15 92yds 30.7yds/G (4th) | 24 230yds 76.7yds/G (10th) |
| Opponent Penalties | 15 125yds 41.7yds/G (8th) | 24 197yds 65.7yds/G (3rd) |
| Turnover Margin | -1 (8th) | -5 (9th) |
Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00pm CDT. Pregame will begin on 99.9FM WMXC at 3:00PM CDT followed by play-by-play with JD Byars and Color commentary by Pat Greenwood. The game can be viewed on ESPN3.
Go Jags!
A Record Number of Jaguars Earn SBC Academic Recognition
South Alabama had a record 155 student-athletes to earn Sun Belt Conference Academic Recognition for 2013-2014 by being on the SBC Commissioner’s List or Academic Honor Roll as announced by the conference office on Thursday.
The Jags had 84 individuals named to the Commissioner’s List which recognizes student athletes with a GPA of 3.5 or better during the previous two semesters and 71 on the Academic Honor Roll which includes student-athletes with a 3.0-3.49 GPA during that same time span.
Ten of USA’s 17 sports had double-figure totals. Women’s Cross Country/Track and Field team led the way with 27 followed closely by Football with 26. Men’s Cross Country/Track and Field and Soccer both had 19, Softball had 14, and baseball had 13.
The Jags finished second in the final standings for the Vic Bubas Cup which is presented to the top overall program in the Sun Belt Conference.
Here is a link to the 2013-2014 South Alabama Sun Belt Conference Academic Honorees. Congratulations Jaguar Student-Athletes!
Volleyball Falls To Texas State On The Road
The Jaguar volleyball team fell to Texas State who stays undefeated in Conference play 3-0 (12-25, 25-27, 15-25) in San Marcos, Texas. The Bobcats used nine service aces, a 52-27 kill advantage and a .333 to .120 hitting average to defeat the Jaguars.
Jessica Lewis was the only Jaguar in double digits for the night with 10 kills. Nikki Gittens added seven kills with a .353 hitting percentage. Mechell Daniel only had three kills, a season low for her as she ranks second on the team in that category.
The Jags will return to Mobile to host Arkansas State on Friday evening with the match set to start at 6pm.
Jaguar Soccer Host Troy At The Cage Tonight
The South Alabama Soccer team will host conference rival Troy at The Cage on Friday evening. The Jags look to extend their six-match winning streak as it begins their Sun Belt Conference schedule.
But Troy enters the game with their own winning streak as well. They have won their last eight matches after falling in their first two matches of the season against LSU and Louisiana Tech. Two of their wins, Kennesaw State and UAB, are the two schools responsible for both of the Jaguars losses this season.
USA has shutout five of their last six opponents and seven overall this season. The Jaguars Charde Hannah has won the Offensive Player of the Week honor for two-consecutive weeks. Sarah Hay recorded 11 saves last week and five shutouts in six appearances on the season to earn Defensive Player of the Week honors. A USA player has won a weekly award five times this season. Nini Rabsatt-Smith and Sophie Haywood swept the weekly Defensive and Offensive awards on September 9.
The Jaguars (8-2, 0-0 SBC) and the Trojans (8-2, 0-0) will begin at 7pm.
Jags Soccer Sweep Player Of The Week Honors For Second Time This Season
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- Sarah Hay, a junior, made two stops in penalty shootout, the second to advance the Jags to the Conference Final against Georgia State on Sunday at noon. Photo: usajaguars.com
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- Freshman Charde Hannah became the second Jaguar and second SBC player ever to win both Freshman of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year awards in the same season. Photo: usajaguars.com
The University of South Alabama soccer team swept the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week awards for the second time this season when freshman Charde Hannah and Sophomore Sarah Hay were honored this week. The Jags went 2-0 over the last week to extend their current winning streak to six games with their help.
Hannah earned the honor for the second consecutive week while Hay is honored for the first time in her career.
Hannah tied a school record with four goals and added an assist in USA’s 5-0 win over Francis Marion. She ranks second in the nation in points per match with 2.6, fourth in goals per match with 1.1 and 11th in game-winning goals with 3. With her help the Jaguars rank sixth in Division I in scoring with 3.70 per match.
Hay helps the Jaguars on the other end of the field. She made 11 saves in the two shutouts over the past week. She had five saves in a 1-0 win over North Florida then added six more against Francis Marion.
Hay has led the Jaguars to five shutouts in six appearances this season with a goals-against average of 0.32, which ranks 10th in the nation while her save percentage is third in the nation at .939.
The Jaguars begin conference play on Friday at 7pm when they host Troy at The Cage.
Monday Press Conference Reflects on GSU; Previews Idaho
Maleki Harris, a senior from Cordova, Alabama, recorded his second double-digit tackle total against Mississippi State where he also forced two fumbles. The Sun Belt Conference named him the Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, September 15, 2014.
University of South Alabama head football coach Joey Jones was joined by linebacker Maleki Harris for their weekly press conference on Monday. They reflected on the Jaguars loss to Georgia Southern and previewed this weekends visit to Idaho.
Coach Jones began with his opening statement. “It’s obviously a big game this week. Idaho is scoring a lot of points, and really playing better defense as I have watched them throughout the year. Our focus is on that. I told the guys yesterday that last week doesn’t mean anything. We have to move forward; that’s the way life is. I wish we would have played a little better. We did some really good things and did some bad things, but our kids are playing their tails off. They’re playing with great effort. We’re going to fix some things this week and get ready to play.”
Jones stressed that the team is not playing at the level they need to be playing at in order to win games. On Sunday, he talked to the offense about what is going on and what they need to do in order to make corrections and win games.
“We have good players and we’re calling good plays; we’re doing a lot of things right,” Jones said. “But out on the field some of the things are clicking. We have to get to where everyone on offense is being more consistent, and that’s really all it boils down to. We addressed a lot of issues as an offense and we are going to implement those, but the bottom line is we have to go get it done on the field. We’re not far off and we’re not going to panic right now, but we certainly have to pay attention to detail and get better. If we don’t get any better on offense then we’re going to have a tough time. I feel like our defense and special teams are playing well enough to win right now, the offense just needs to pick it up a bit.”
“Offensively, their quarterback is a very talented player,” Jones said turning his attention to Idaho. “He stands in the pocket and throws the ball. He has a good arm and understands where to go with the ball. Defensively, they have improved. They were giving up some points early in the year, but their coaching staff has done a good job of simplifying their scheme. They are much more sound right now. It’s going to be a tough ball game, it always is. This conference has a lot of good teams, and we have to be ready for each one. But we have to get better ourselves and concentrate on that, more so than concentrating on Idaho.”
Maleki Harris told the media that the coaches are putting them into good positions to make plays, but the players need to go make the plays. He pointed out that Idaho is a good team and that he and the team need to go up there focused and take care of business.
When asked about his play, Harris said that he is listening to his coaches and they are putting him in good positions to make plays. “They are giving us a good game plan each week, and they have us prepared for every game. It’s just a matter of going out there and making sure I do everything they coach me on and just follow what they tell me to do.”
“I feel like our defense is as good, if not better than last year,” Harris said when asked about the defense. “We’re playing at a higher level. I feel like our secondary is playing better than they were last year. Our linebackers are playing well, and our defensive line is talented and has depth. Defensively, I feel like we’re on pace to pick up where we left off last season.”
“One of the things Coach (Jones) has been preaching is the little things are what separates the good teams from the great teams,” Harris answered when asked about the team. “We have to capitalize on opportunities when they are there, and just make plays and do our jobs and handle our responsibilities. The little things are the difference in us being 3-0 and 1-2.”
Coach Jones, the players and staff look to get back to even on the season when they travel to Idaho to take on the 0-3 Vandals. Kickoff is scheduled for 4pm CDT and can be heard on 99.9 WMXC or viewed on ESPN3.
Volleyball Defeats Georgia State 3-0
The South Alabama volleyball team defeated Georgia State on Sunday 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-18) in straight sets. The win improves the Jaguars record to 7-5 overall and 2-0 in conference play while Georgia State falls to 3-9 overall and 1-2 in conference play.
Abby Baker led the team with 11 digs while Mechell Daniel led the way with 11 kills. Emily Hundt had 20 assists to go along with nine digs.
Next the Jaguars will travel to San Marcos, Texas to face the Texas State Bobcats on Thursday, September 25 at 6:30pm.