Sept. 4, 2009

Box Score

Season Stats

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (SMU) - The Mustangs stormed out of the gate and kept the pressure on Jacksonville State from start to finish, taking a 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-20) over the Gamecocks to open the Bama Bash.

Senior Kendra Kahanek led the Mustangs (3-2) with 12 kills, and added two blocks and a dig, while sophomore Dana Powell continued her hot streak, finishing the match with 11 kills and seven digs. Sophomore Kelli Becerra assisted on 36 of the Mustangs 46 kills, and junior Kathryn Wilkerson gave SMU three players in double figures with 10 kills.

In the third set, the two teams traded punch after punch but neither team backed down. The lead never grew larger than two points for either team until the Mustangs broke a 14-14 tie with a 5-1 run to take a 20-15 advantage. SMU went on to close the door on the Gamecocks (3-2) 25-20 for the 3-0 win.

SMU went on a 6-1 run to open the second set, but the Gamecocks fought back, evening the set at 10-10. The Mustangs went up three before Jacksonville State went on a 5-2 run, tying the set 15-15, looking to even the match at 1-1. The Gamecocks were done just one point before the Mustangs scored the final two points to take complete control of the match with a 25-22 set win to go up two sets to zero.

The Mustangs opened the first set on a 10-4 run, and stretched the lead to 13-4 before the Gamecocks could score another point. SMU maintained the pace throughout the set, going on to claim a 1-0 advantage with a 25-18 set win.

SMU posted a .324 hitting percentage with six team blocks, led by freshman Courtney Manning, while the Gamecocks could only muster a .125 average. Jacksonville State had two team blocks and 41 digs. The Mustangs kept rallies alive with 45 digs, led by sophomore Sidney Stewart with 12.

SMU will continue play at the Bama Bash Friday night when they take on host Alabama at 7 p.m.