Gamecocks Claim Top-15 Win in Weekend Finale

DELAND, FLA. – Day two of the Stetson Spring Fling tournament ended with a second day of split results for Gamecock beach volleyball (2-2). South Carolina fell 3-2 to No. 15 TCU (3-1) in its first dual, but rallied for a big 3-2 win against host Stetson (1-3), which entered the weekend ranked No. 11 in the country.
 
“We were competitive across the board and just missed some chances this weekend, but I was happy to see us capitalize on opportunities as well,” head coach Moritz Moritz said. “What really stood out to me was, from the first serve of the first dual until the last serve of the last dual, this weekend showed just how important every piece of this team is right now.”
 
In the opener against TCU, the Gamecocks were able to gain an early advantage with pairs four and five coming out on top. A day removed from gutting out a pair of wins in three sets, Jess Vastine and Jordan Smith came out with a sweep featuring deuce-set scores of 22-20 and 21-19 at the fourth flight. Morgyn Greer and Carly Schnieder also went 2-0 on day one, but needed a big rally to maintain their perfect record. The duo lost the opening set, 21-16, but pulled out a second set win and took set three 15-12 to stake the Gamecocks to a 2-0 advantage.
 
Much like the team’s result against No. 12 FAU on Saturday, though, South Carolina was unable to find the clinching point in the top three positions of the lineup. After Vastine and Smith’s success in close sets in the opening wave, TCU found the clutch points needed to make the comeback. The Frogs won at No. 3, 24-22, 24-22 against Madison Brabham and Hannah Mackenhausen, won 23-21 in the opening set of a sweep at No. 1 and clinched the win with a 21-17, 21-15 score at No. 2.
 
The tournament finale would be the team’s toughest of the weekend, with both teams entering the dual at 1-2 and looking for early footholds in the east region pecking order. The first wave wouldn’t provide an advantage for either side; South Carolina claimed the first point with a 21-16, 21-12 sweep at number four from Vastine and Smith, but Stetson countered by handing Greer and Schnieder their first loss of the season with a sweep at the fives.
 
South Carolina pushed ahead slightly through the first sets on the top three courts, taking wins at numbers two and three, but Stetson again countered by forcing a third set at three. The Gamecocks were finally able to shake off a down weekend on courts one through three with two clutch wins to seal the win. 
 
It started with a three-set victory for Brabham and Mackenhausen on court three, 21-19, 17-21, 15-9. The deciding point came from court two, where Abby Carroll and Alyssa Keller earned their first win of the weekend at the most important time. Both recorded their first collegiate wins behind a 21-18, 21-13 sweep, making the team score 3-1 in South Carolina’s favor. 
 
“It’s a big step for them (Carroll and Keller), it’s taxing mentally to compete the way that they had in the first three duals to be close but not get over the hump,” Moritz said. “When you get to the fourth match of a weekend, especially against such a high-level opponent like Stetson, it’s a testament to their character and abilities as volleyball players to fight for a result like that.” 
 
UP NEXT
The Gamecocks remain on the road next weekend, heading to the Palmetto State coast for the Coastal Carolina Invitational in Conway, March 5-6. The weekend pits South Carolina against conference rivals UNCW and College of Charleston, a rematch with Stetson and a dual against the host Chanticleers.
 
RESULTS
#15 TCU 3, #14 South Carolina 2
1. Danela Alvarez/Tania Moreno Mateeva (TCU) def. Skylar Allen/Katie Smith (SC) 23-21, 21-10
2. Olivia Blackburn/Hailey Brockett (TCU) def. Abby Carroll/Alyssa Keller (SC) 21-17, 21-15
3. Rochelle Scott/Maria Gonzalez (TCU) def. Madison Brabham/Hannah Mackenhausen (SC) 24-22, 24-22
4. Jess Vastine/Jordan Smith (SC) def. Caroline White/Josie Miller (TCU) 22-20, 21-19
5. Morgyn Greer/Carly Schnieder (SC) def. Hayley Boll/Trinity Cavanaugh (TCU) 16-21, 21-18, 15-12
Ext. Peyton Gray/Sophie Manson (SC) def. Kathryn Kramer/Tara Patton (TCU) 21-17, 21-19
Order of finish: Doubles (4,5,1,3,2*)
*-Deciding Point
 
#14 South Carolina 3, #11 Stetson 2
1. Carly Perales/Ana Costa (STET) def. Skylar Allen/Katie Smith (SC) 21-17, 19-21, 15-11
2. Alyssa Keller/Abby Carroll (SC) def. Kamryn Johnson/Shae Henson (STET) 21-18, 21-13
3. Madison Brabham/Hannah Mackenhausen (SC) def. Yasmin Kuck/Gabriella Bramante (STET) 21-19, 17-21, 15-9
4. Jess Vastine/Jordan Smith (SC) def. Aleksandra Stadnik/Lauren Della (STET) 21-16, 21-12
5. Alicia Harrington/Lauren Domel (STET) def. Morgyn Greer/Carly Schnieder (SC) 21-18, 21-11
Ex. Kaeli Crews/Avery Davis (SC) def. Devin Corah/Noelle Weintraub (STET) 21-13, 21-14
Order of finish: Doubles (4,5,3,2*,1)