Mercer University
South Ala.
Volleyball Upended by South Alabama
9/7/2012 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
ATLANTA, Ga. – Senior Jamie Duffy hammered out 11 kills and collected 22 digs, but her effort wasn't enough to stop South Alabama from earning a 3-1 (25-22, 25-18, 19-25, 25-22) win over the Mercer volleyball team in Friday night's Georgia State Invitational opener at the GSU Sports Arena.
Mercer suffered its second straight loss and dropped to 2-3 on the season while South Alabama pulled even at 4-4.
Duffy's precise ball control limited her to only one error on 39 swings, equating to a team-high .256 hitting percentage. She also added a block assist and a service ace in the losing effort. Freshman Molly Locke also posted a double-double with a match-high 15 kills and 13 digs.
In the first set, Mercer led 15-11 before the Jaguars retaliated with a 5-1 run to tie matters at 16-16. Later, the frame was tied 22-22 before South Alabama scored three consecutive points to take the early lead.
After dropping the second set, Mercer found itself tied again at 13-13 in the third stanza. This time, the Bears capitalized with three-straight points, creating the necessary separation that led to a 25-19 win. Mercer's momentum carried over to the fourth set, where the Bears raced out to a 7-2 advantage. South Alabama chipped away at the deficit and ultimately went on top 17-16 en route to the match victory.
Senior Monica Sanchez recorded a match-high 43 assists in the loss, while junior Emily Rochefort notched a team-high 24 digs. Senior Jennifer Katona was credited with seven block assists, contributing to Mercer's 8-5.5 team block advantage.
Mercer returns to action at the Georgia State Invitational on Saturday, challenging the host at 1 p.m. and meeting Samford at 5 p.m.
