Oct. 16, 2009
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina hit a season-best .322 en route to a sweep over Georgia, 25-17, 25-21, 25-23, on Friday evening in the Ramsey Center.
Senior Ivana Kujundzic led the Gamecock (11-7, 3-6 SEC) attack with 15 kills, while senior Meredith Moorhead and junior Hannah Lawing both had 10 each. Senior libero Sarah Cline posted 22 digs to lead South Carolina. Lawing had nine digs, just one dig away from her 12th double-double. Georgia (11-8, 2-6 SEC) was topped by Erika Clark’s 14 kills, while Carla Tietz led three Bulldogs in double figures in digs with 19.
The Gamecocks got off to a slow start in the first, falling behind 3-0 and 6-3 before storming back. A seven-point string that included a pair of kills from Kujundzic and Moorhead put South Carolina on top, 17-12. The lead expanded to six at 19-13 after a Kujundzic kill and ace forced Georgia to use its final timeout. A kill and solo block by junior Megan Laughlin put the Gamecocks to set point at 24-15, but the Bulldogs staved off the first two tries to end the frame after a Carolina service error and a Valentina Gonzalez kill. South Carolina ended it at 25-17 on Lawing’s smash down the line. Cline had eight digs in the first alone to go with two service aces.
Georgia held a 12-7 lead in the second after a four-point run that included a block from Briana Bahr and Gonzalez and an ace from Nicole Choi. However, the Gamecocks stormed back, taking nine points in a 12-point stretch to grab a 19-16 lead. The Bulldogs did more to help the run, with four hitting errors and one block miscue in the run. Georgia got within two at 21-19 after a kill and a block assist by Gonzalez, but the Gamecocks would close it at 25-21 on two Kujundzic kills. The Gamecocks hit .297 for the second straight set.
Moorhead posted three straight kills to put the Gamecocks on top, 8-5, in the third and cause Georgia to use its first timeout. The lead grew to 11-7 before Georgia started its comeback. The Bulldogs took five of the next six points, including a nice guided attack by Gonzalez after her own touch block, to tie the set, 12-12. South Carolina responded in kind, duplicating Georgia’s run to take a 17-13 lead. Kujundzic had two kills in the run that prompted the Bulldogs to use their final timeout. But a pair of errors stretched the Gamecock run to five points and their lead to 19-13. But three Georgia points, including kills by Ann Dylla and Clark, causing South Carolina to break the action.
The Bulldogs kept coming, getting to within one after another Adria Fectuea ace and a Clark cross-court kill. The squads traded side-outs before the Gamecocks took control again, with two kills each from Lawing and Moorhead coming around a Georgia point to put Carolina to match point at 24-20. Georgia fought off three attempts, with Michele Simmons getting a kill before a Gamecock error and a Bahr kill put it to 24-23. But Lawing finished it with another line shot, ending the third set at 25-23. Moorhead hit .750 (6-0-8) in the third to lead the Gamecocks to a .362 mark.
South Carolina won the block battle for just the fourth time on the year while also leading in kills and assists. The Gamecocks won at night in SEC play for the first time this season and also won for the first time when losing the digs battle.
The Gamecocks wrap up the weekend with a trip to Auburn on Sunday, with first serve set for 2:30 p.m. CDT.
