Box Score SAN MARCOS, Texas – The UALR volleyball team won its first Sun Belt Tournament match since 2005 in Thursday's afternoon sweep of South Alabama (25-13, 25-18, 26-24).
Senior Edina Begic led the Trojans' offensive assault, tallying 13 kills and hitting .270 on 37 attempts.
UALR started the afternoon in dominant fashion, winning by 12 points. Begic ended the set with seven kills, while junior Sonja Milanovic had four. Sophomore Edina Selimovic finished the set with three total blocks (one solo and two assisted.) As a team, the Trojans hit .353 for the set compared to the Jaguars' .026.
South Alabama put up a better fight in the second set, leading the set 2-0 to begin the frame. The two squads kept the battle going as both teams were tied up until 11-11. Afterwards, the Trojans started to pull away. UALR finished the frame with its largest lead of the set at seven. UALR finished the set with a .233 hitting percentage in comparison to South Alabama's -.034.
South Alabama got out to a big 8-2 lead early in the third set before UALR started the slow charge back. Down by six at 14-20, UALR went on a five point run to bring the set within a point at 19-20. The Trojans eventually caught up to the Jags and tied the set at 23. After a kill by South Alabama, the Jaguars were at set point before the Trojans once again tied the set. At 24-24, the match ended in extra points after Begic's 13th kill of the match and a South Alabama attack error.
Begic added 10 digs, making that 11 double-doubles this season and tying her third-most digs in a three-set match this season.
Milanovic recorded her 16th double-double of the season with 12 kills and 11 digs. She hit .348 on 23 attempts.
Selimovic ended the match with six total blocks with one solo and five assisted. She also added three kills on offense.
Sophomore Megan Mathis finished with 30 assists, eight digs, three kills and two block assists.
Senior Adisa Hodzic and sophomore Carolee Dillard each tallied four block assists with each putting up five and four kills, respectively. Hodzic hit a team-high .455 on 11 attempts.
Senior Capri Rino led the team in digs with 13.
As a team, UALR outhit South Alabama .265 to .010 and had the block advantage at 10 to 4.
UALR now has the longest winning streak in the nation at 22 matches after Stanford was beaten by Washington in four sets on Wednesday night.
UALR will return to action on Friday (Nov. 28) as it faces UT Arlington in the semifinals at 4:00 p.m. in the Strahan Coliseum.
