Bates and Smith Named Conference Pair of the Week
March 27, 2018
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina’s Cadie Bates and Katie Smith were named the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association’s Pair of the Week on Tuesday. The duo went 4-0 at the Gamecock Challenge, running their season record to 12-2 and extending a six-match win streak. They are the second Gamecock pair to ever earn the conference honor, Smith was the first with partner Katie Zimmerman last season.
Playing in the team’s number two position in the lineup, Bates and Smith opened the tournament with a 21-14, 21-12 win over FGCU that clinched the overall team win. Closing day one, the pair upset No. 3 Hawai’i’s team of Carly Kan and Laurel Weaver in three sets, 21-9, 15-21, 15-13, as the Gamecocks came just short of upsetting the Rainbow Wahine, 3-2. It was their fourth win over an AVCA top-20 opponent so far this season.
On Sunday, Bates and Smith won 21-16, 21-14 over TCU which also was the clinching point in Carolina’s 3-2 win over the Horned Frogs. Capping the weekend was a 21-12, 21-19 win over UAB.
The Gamecocks (14-4, 7-2 CCSA) hit the road for their next tournament, heading to South Beach for the Surf `n Turf in Miami. The two-day event, hosted by FIU, will pit South Carolina against TCU, No. 11 Grand Canyon, No. 2 UCLA and the 12th-ranked Panthers. The tournament begins Friday morning.
