Sept. 23, 2012

Box Score | Box Score 

EL PASO, Texas - The Southern Miss volleyball team fell to UTEP 3-1 in Conference USA action on Sunday afternoon.

Sophomore Jasmine Crowell led the Golden Eagles (5-9, 1-1) with 17 kills to go with a team-high eight blocks while freshman Lydia Bonner chipped in 10 kills.

UTEP (7-7, 2-1) placed three players with double digit kills led by Jeane Horton with a match-high 21. Xitlali Herrera recorded a double-double with 16 kills and 13 digs while Jacqueline Cason added 10 kills.

The Miners took the first set after collecting 14 kills on .360 hitting and held the Golden Eagles to nine kills on .077 hitting for a 25-14 win.

Southern Miss bounced back to take the second set 25-21. The two teams battled for much of the set before USM managed to get a kill from Rachel Johnson and a block by Crowell to push ahead 18-16, forcing UTEP to take a timeout. The Miners got a point back out of the timeout, but Southern Miss scored four-straight points on two blocks and two Crowell kills for the 22-17 lead then held on for the 25-21 win.

After UTEP took an early lead to start the third set, the Eagles came back to tie the set at 9-9. The Miners then relied on their defense down the stretch to take the third set, 25-20, as UTEP was aided by 15 digs and 10 total blocks.

UTEP took control early in the fourth set, not allowing the Golden Eagles to get into any kind of flow as the Miners defeated USM 25-15. UTEP held the Golden Eagles to just seven kills on -.032 hitting.

Southern Miss remains on the road next weekend for a pair of conference matches at East Carolina on Sept. 28 and Marshall on Sept. 30.