Stephen F. Austin
Tulsa
Jones Named MVP As Ladyjacks Claim Tournament Title
9/8/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 8, 2007
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - JJ Jones picked up her second double-double in five matches and led the Ladyjacks to the championship over Tulsa in the finale of the Ladyjack Invitational on Saturday night.
SFA (6-4, 0-0) snapped the Golden Hurricane's (8-3, 0-0) eight-match win streak with the 3-2 (29-31, 30-15, 30-27, 17-30, 15-12) win and picked up its first win ever over Tulsa in the process.
Jones was named Tournament MVP after dropping in 13 kills, 30 assists and 12 digs on the night. She and Whitney Schott combined for 55 of the Ladyjacks' 62 assists, the most assists SFA has had since its opening match against Montana State.
The Golden Hurricane hit .310 in the first game but could never regain that form, hitting as low as -.146 in the second game.
SFA has out-blocked its last five opponents after turning back a total of nine against TU.
Lauren Railey picked up a career-high 29 digs and Laurel Kuepker earned all-tournament honors as she had 21 of her own. Overall, the Ladyjacks had four players crack double-figures in digs on the evening.
Ed Allen's group was paced by Fabiola Nepomuceno with 20 kills and Emma Ridley with 14. Setter Julia Silva finished with 38 assists and 26 digs for the reigning Conference USA champions.
SFA now holds a five-match win streak heading into the Houston Tournament beginning Friday. The Ladyjacks will face off with Houston, Rice and Wake Forest before opening up conference play with Northwestern State on Sept. 22.
In the consolation match of the Ladyjack Invitational, Northwestern State picked up its second win of the season in five games over Louisiana-Monroe.
-SFA-
