Sept. 7, 2007
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COLUMBIA, S.C. – Approaching record-level efficiency in hitting percentage, South Carolina downed Troy, 30-14, 30-15, 30-22, in the fourth and final match on Friday at the 2007 Nike Gamecock Invitational. The Gamecocks improve to 6-2 on the season, while Troy falls to 4-5.
Dani Bedore put down 11 kills in the contest to lead the Gamecocks. Ivana Kujundzic had another standout match, dropping 10 kills in the match while ranking second on the squad with seven digs. Dinelia Concepcion recorded 12 digs in the contest, while Jordan Bradosky finished with 27 assists. Megan Laughlin had three solo blocks, becoming the second Gamecock this season to block three shots or more alone in a match and the second time in four matches the freshman has achieved this level.
The Trojans were led by Aubre Smith, who recorded seven kills in the contest. Kerry Heinz had six kills on the evening.
The Gamecocks dominated game one, hitting .630 in the frame with 17 kills, as Kujundzic had seven of those. Even more amazing was the fact that USC did not make an error in the game. Contrast that with the seven made by the Trojans and one can see how well the Garnet and Black controlled the first.
Game two had one Gamecock record her first career kill during the 30-15 victory. Erin Kennedy hammered down her initial kill during the frame. South Carolina checked in with a .400 hitting percentage in the frame, compared to a -.029 by Troy. The Gamecocks posted 17 kills for the second consecutive game and made only three errors.
Jordan Kennedy made her debut during the 30-22 game three win, and she made the night memorable for the Kennedy clan. Jordan also recorded her first career kill during the third frame. Christine Hauer put down her first kill in Columbia during the final game, where the Gamecocks hit at a .500 clip. Troy had its only positive hitting percentage of the evening, checking in at .267.
Overall, the .500 hitting percentage for the three-game match ties this outing for third best in program annals, meeting the same standard hit on Sept. 27, 2002, against Auburn. And for the first time this season, all 16 Gamecocks recorded court time.
“We played well all day,” said USC head coach Ben Somera. “Our serving and passing game was where we needed it to be, and when those are in place, we’re a very good team.”
In the first match of the afternoon session, Rice downed Appalachian State, 30-24, 30-23, 28-30, 30-28, moving the Owls to 4-5 on the campaign.
The Gamecocks will close out the 2007 Gamecock Nike Invitational against Appalachian State at 1:30 p.m.
