JMU Blanks South Alabama, 3-0

Saturday, September 26

Harrisonburg, Va.

1 p.m.

James Madison University

7-5,2-0Sun Belt

South Alabama

5-9,0-2Sun Belt

Team	1	2	3	Final F
South Alabama	20	22	17	0
James Madison	25	25	25	3

Match Notes

JMU vs. South Alabama - Sept 26 - Kennedy Attack

9/26/2026 3:08:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. - James Madison volleyball (7-5, 2-0 SBC) finished the opening weekend of Sun Belt action with another 3-0 victory (25-20, 25-22, 25-17) over South Alabama (5-9, 0-2 SBC) to start league play 2-0.

The Dukes swept the Jaguars for the second consecutive match, moving to 7-0 overall at the Convocation Center this season. While JMU had slow starts to both the first and third sets, the Dukes displayed their grit and captured leads they would never relinquish by the media timeout of each set.

Seven Dukes accounted for the team's 39 total kills, spreading the effort around as six of those Dukes had at least 5.0 kills. Kennedy Louisell was the lone player on either team in double figures (10.0k), her 43rd straight match with double-digit kills, as JMU finished the day hitting .279 (39-15-86). USA closed hitting at a .165 clip, lower than Friday's .192 hitting percentage (37-17-104).

On the defensive side, Louisell tied her season high with 4.0 blocks. She was one of five Dukes credited with a block in the win. Anna Wilson led the effort with 5.0 blocks, the ninth time this season she has tallied at least 5.0 blocks. JMU failed to reach the double-digit blocks mark (7.0 b) for just the third time this season.

Next up, JMU hits the road for its first SBC road trip of the season. The Dukes head to Atlanta to take on Georgia State Thursday (Oct. 1) and Friday (Oct. 2), both at 6pm.

How We Got Here
Set One - JMU 25, USA 21

USA opened on a 3-0 run and stretched it to a 7-1 start before JMU started to claw back. They used a 4-1 run to pull back within three. Both teams started trading points, keeping the gap in the Jaguars' favor.
A 5-0 JMU run tied the set for the first time since the opening serve (12-12).
The stretch was part of an overall 6-1 scoring stretch, putting the Dukes ahead 14-13, their first lead of the day. They maintained a slight advantage (15-14) heading into the media stoppage.
After trading points, JMU was able to inch their lead just a bit further to three (19-16), prompting a USA timeout. The Dukes continued their offensive efforts, utilizing a 4-0 scoring run that bridged the timeout to go up 21-16 and have South Alabama calling its second timeout.
The Jaguars powered out of the huddle with a 3-0 scoring run of their own to pull back within two (21-19), which had Head Coach Lauren Steinbrecher calling her own timeout.
The Dukes came out firing, finishing the set on a 4-1 run to take the first set.
JMU scored evenly with five Dukes each tallying 2.0 kills.

Set Two - JMU 25, USA 22

JMU took an early lead, going up by as many as three (7-4) before back-to-back points pulled USA to within one.
South Alabama tied the set at 8-all before JMU pushed back out to a two-point advantage. The Dukes and Jaguars started trading points to keep both teams within striking distance of one another.
Tied once again at 13-13, JMU jumped back in front at 17-14 after a 4-1 scoring stretch.
USA pulled back within one (17-16), but the Dukes used a 6-2 spurt to take their largest lead of the set at 23-18.
The Dukes set themselves up for set point at 24-20, but the Jaguars weren't going quietly and pulled back within two, forcing a JMU timeout. A USA service error closed the set, putting JMU up 2-0.

Set Three - JMU 25, USA 17

South Alabama opened on a hot streak, taking the 3-0 advantage.The Jaguars led by three twice before a 4-0 spurt by the Dukes gave them their first lead of the set.
USA responded with a 3-0 run of its own to retake the advantage at 10-8 before JMU tied things up again at 10-all. The Jaguars briefly moved ahead again before a 3-0 Dukes' run gave JMU a 13-11 lead and ushering South Alabama into its first timeout of the set.
After taking a 15-13 lead into the media timeout, JMU stretched its advantage out to 21-13 on the back of a 7-0 scoring run. This was the largest lead of the afternoon by either team.
JMU scored the final two points of the set, including match point over a successful challenge by Steinbrecher.

Match Notes

JMU is 7-0 at the Convocation Center this season, going 21-1 across all sets played (3-1 vs. UNCG, 9/18).
Kennedy Louisell reached double-digit kills for the 43rd straight match.
Louisell tied her season high with 4.0 blocks.
The Dukes have won five straight against the Jaguars, taking a 7-4 series lead.
JMU held USA to .169 hitting percentage, the 10th time this season JMU has kept an opponent below .200.
The Dukes committed a season-low 4.0 service errors as a team.