Gamecocks Drop Road Finale at Tennessee
KNOXVILLE, TENN. – South Carolina wrapped up its regular season road schedule on Sunday, losing in straight sets at Tennessee (15-10, 8-7 SEC). With two home games left on the schedule, the Gamecocks drop back to 15-10 and 6-8 in conference play.
Riley Whitesides shouldered the load on offense for the Gamecocks, finishing with 19 of the team’s 36 total kills while taking as many swings (44) as the next three closest teammates combined over the three sets. Tennessee keyed in on Campbell Paris after back-to-back big games for the sophomore coming into Sunday, she was limited to just four kills on her 17 swings. Tireh Smith would be a solid secondary option, though, hitting a team-best .300 with nine kills on her 20 attempts.
Defensively, South Carolina finished with 44 digs, with the bulk coming from Whitesides (13) and junior setter Sarah Jordan (13). Tennessee won the blocking battle by a 9-6 margin, Oby Anadi’s four blocks led the way with three from Whitesides just behind her. The Gamecock defense were just not able to hold the Lady Vols from taking side-out opportunities, the home side’s lowest side-out percentage in the match was 70 percent in the third, after 85 percent and 75 percent in sets one and two, respectively.
NOTABLE
- South Carolina was held without a service ace for the first time this season, Tennessee enjoyed a 4-0 advantage in the three sets.
- Sunday marked just the second time this season that the Gamecocks won the battle in total digs but lost the match. The team was 11-1 entering the day.
- Riley Whitesides accounted for over half the team’s kills, putting away 19 of Carolina’s 36. She also led the team in digs, with 13, marking her 20th career double-double. That ties her with Kelly Morrow (1993-96) for 18th-most in a career in the program’s SEC era (since 1991).
- Whitesides’ 385 kills so far this season moved her past Shonda Cole’s 2004 season for eighth-most in the rally-scoring era.
UP NEXT: There is just a short turnaround before the team is back in action for the final week of the regular season. Both of the final two matches will be on South Carolina’s home court, the team was last in the Carolina Volleyball Center on Nov. 3. First up is a rematch with Florida on Wednesday, Nov. 27 at 2 p.m. with the regular season finale on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 1 p.m. against Texas A&M. Both matches are free to attend for fans.
