University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss
Louisiana Tech
Southern Miss Volleyball Team Captures Own Invitational
9/5/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 5, 2009
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Southern Miss volleyball captured its own Southern Miss La Quinta Inn Invitational with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-19) sweep of Louisiana Tech.
Ashley Mell led three Golden Eagles in double-digit kills with 13 followed by Lauren Sears with 12 and Caitlin Clarke chipped in 11. Maia Ivanova recorded 14 digs with Angela Hlavaty and Kelsea Seymour tallying 10 apiece.
Nataliya Panova led Louisiana Tech with a team-high eight kills and Lori Hunsucker posted 12 digs.
Both teams battled back-and-forth to start the first set. Southern Miss scored five consecutive points to break open a close set to take a 13-7 lead and not look back for a 25-16 win.
The Golden Eagles built a 10-4 lead to open the second set on their way to a 25-13 win. Southern Miss out-hit the Techsters .261 to .026.
In the third set, Tech jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but Southern Miss came roaring back using a 10-3 run for a 10-6 lead. Tech fought back to cut the lead to two, 16-14, but USM closed out the set on a 9-5 run for a 25-19 win.
Seymour was tabbed the tournament MVP while Ivanova and Sarah Jane Bowden were named to the all-tournament team. Louisiana Tech placed two players on the all-tournament team, Kara Jones and K. C. Clayton, while Jacksonville's Nicki Kent and Sam Houston State's Jamie Haas earned all-tournament honors as well.
Southern Miss returns to action, Sept. 8, against Mississippi State with first serve schedule for 7 p.m.
