Pictured: Sophomore Carolyn Fouts (Photo Credit: Richard Lewis)

BOX SCORE (PDF) / CUMULATIVE STATISTICS (PDF)

MOBILE, Ala. (Sept. 30, 2012) – The FIU volleyball team dropped a 3-0 (25-15, 25-22, 25-16) decision to Sun Belt Conference opponent South Alabama on Sunday afternoon at Jag Gym in Mobile, Ala. With the loss, the Panthers fall to 4-12 (1-3 SBC) while the Jaguars improve to 10-8 (3-1 SBC).

Set one saw three lead changes and five tie scores, with the last tie coming at 7-7, as USA used a 10-1 run to pull ahead, 17-8. FIU did not quit, getting to within seven at 22-15, but the Jaguars closed out the stanza with three-straight points to take the set, 25-15.

Behind 1-0 for the match, FIU faced an early 10-2 deficit in set two. The Panther clawed back to within two at 20-18 on a solo block by redshirt senior Renele Forde, but the Jaguars countered with a pair of kills to put the score at 22-18. Senior Ryanne Milligan would then pass to Forde for a score, and once again, USA retaliated to make it 23-19. Milligan and Forde struck again for FIU to make it 23-20, and the Jaguars followed up with a kill of their own, bringing up set point at 24-20.

Junior Kimberly Smith would then register a kill to keep the Panthers alive, and a USA attack error cut the deficit to two at 24-22, but a final Jaguar kill gave USA a 2-0 lead for the match, by way of a 25-22 set win.

In set three, FIU fell behind quickly, facing a significant deficit at 13-4. The Panthers kept fighting but could not overcome the early short fall, as USA came away with a 25-16 set win and a 3-0 match victory.

Senior Marija Prsa led the FIU offense with eight kills, while Forde added a season-high seven kills and Smith chipped in with six kills. Milligan registered a team-leading 10 assists, and sophomore Carolyn Fouts tallied squad-high marks of 11 digs and two service aces. Three Panthers tied for the team lead in total blocks, as Forde, sophomore Silvia Carli and freshman Gloria Levorin notched three blocks apiece.

FIU returns to action on Wednesday, Oct. 3, when the Panthers travel to Boca Raton, Fla., for a Sun Belt Conference match at Florida Atlantic. First serve is slated for 6:30 p.m.

About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports, and is a proud member of the Sun Belt Conference and an affiliate member of Conference USA (men's soccer). Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including U.S. Century Bank Arena and Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium.

About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. Its colleges and schools offer more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU is worlds ahead in its local and global engagement, finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission and enrolls nearly 48,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. More than 140,000 alumni live and work in South Florida. FIU is a member of the Sun Belt Conference and has 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.

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