Nov. 28, 2014
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina volleyball team will wrap up the 2014 campaign on Saturday at home against LSU.
First serve between the Gamecocks (17-13, 7-10 SEC) and Tigers (18-8, 13-4) is set for 1:30 p.m. at the Carolina Volleyball Center. The match will be streamed live on SEC Network+.
MATCH INFORMATION
Saturday: vs. LSU, 1:30 p.m. | SEC Network+ |
On Twitter: @GamecockVolley
Tickets: Ticket Info | Promotions | Parking
Match Notes 
South Carolina at a Glance
• The Gamecocks are 17-13 on the season and 7-10 in SEC play.
• Carolina will finish the season with a winning record for just the third time since going 22-7 in 2002.
• The seven conference wins are the Gamecocks’ most under head coach Scott Swanson and the most since going 12-8 in 2008.
• Carolina has won six road matches this season, the most since recording seven in 2002.
• The Gamecocks have used 16 different starting lineups this season.
• Junior middle blocker Darian Dozier has started every match, while senior Mikaela Christiaansen has been libero all 30 matches.
A Look Back at the Florida Match
• The Gamecocks lost in three sets at No. 6 Florida on Wednesday by the scores of 25-19, 25-9 and 25-20.
• Sophomore Dessaa Legros led the Gamecocks with a season-high nine kills.
• Freshman middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan finished with a match-high 13 kills while hitting .706 and six blocks for the Gators.
• Florida outhit the Gamecocks .450-.144 for the match. Four Gators finished the match with a hitting percentage above .400.
• The nine points in the second set are the fewest the Gamecocks have scored in one of the first four sets this season.
• The Gators’ hitting percentage of .450 is the highest the Gamecocks have allowed this season.
• Senior libero Mikaela Christiaansen finished the match with seven digs, marking the first time she hasn’t reached double figures this season.
Gamecocks in the SEC Stats
• South Carolina ranks fourth in the SEC in blocks per set (2.33) and is second in total blocks (277).
• The Gamecocks rank second in the conference in digs per set (14.88).
• Junior middle blocker Darian Dozier is fourth in the SEC in blocks per set (1.17). She also ranks third in the conference in total blocks (136).
• Freshman outside hitter Taylr McNeil ranks ninth in the conference in kills per set (3.09) and is second among freshmen.
• Senior libero Mikaela Christiaansen is third in the SEC in digs per set (4.36) and second in total digs (519).
Christiaansen Earns SEC Honor
• Senior libero Mikaela Christiaansen was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week for her performance in wins at Tennessee and Georgia as she averaged 6.11 digs per set on the week.
• She recorded her first career double-double at Tennessee, finishing with 22 digs and 10 assists.
• In the win at Georgia, she finished with a career-high 33 digs, which is a school record for a four-set match and the most digs in a conference match this season.
Home Match Notes
• Carolina is 9-5 at the Carolina Volleyball Center, with three of the losses being to ranked teams (No. 14 Kentucky, No. 8 Florida and No. 20 Texas A&M).
• The Gamecocks have outhit opponents .218-.209 at home and out-blocked opponents 150-104.
• The Gamecocks have played five five-set matches at home this season and are 2-3 in those matches.
• Under head coach Scott Swanson, the Gamecocks are 36-25 at home.
A Win on Saturday Would…
• Be Carolina’s 18th win this season, matching the most during head coach Scott Swanson’s tenure and the most since Carolina went 21-9 in 2008.
• Be the Gamecocks’ eighth SEC win, which would be the most since going 12-8 in 2008.
In the last 10 matches…
• The Gamecocks have a 4-6 record.
• Carolina has been outhit .256-.209.
• The Gamecocks have been out-blocked 89-85.
• Carolina has played in four five-set matches and is 1-3 in those matches.
• Junior Sarah Blomgren has been the Gamecocks’ most efficient attacker, hitting .330 while averaging 2.48 kills per set.
• Junior setter Kellie McNeil has the second most blocks on the team with 31, averaging 0.74 per set, and has recorded three double-doubles.
• Sophomore KoKo Atoa-Williams has led the team in kills per set (2.55) and is second in digs per set (2.47).
On this Date
• On Nov. 29, 1995, the Gamecocks recorded the program’s first NCAA Tournament win, defeating Hofstra in three sets by the scores of 15-7, 15-10 and 15-1 in Hempstead, N.Y.
Climbing the Single-Season and Career Records Lists
• Junior middle blocker Darian Dozier ranks eighth all-time in block assists at South Carolina with 291. She is 14 block assists away from seventh and 15 away from sixth on the all-time list.
• Dozier ranks first on the single-season rally scoring era list for total blocks with 136, breaking Belita Salters (2007) record of 128.
• With 24 block assists this season, Dozier has set the rally scoring era record for block assists in a season. Dozier (2013) and Lauren Ford (2004) were tied for the previous mark of 107.
• Dozier’s blocks per set average of 1.17 currently ranks fourth all-time in a single season in the rally scoring era. The record is 1.38 held by Belita Salters (2005).
• Senior libero Mikaela Christiaansen’s digs total of 519 ranks second all-time for a single season in the rally scoring era in school history. The record is 523 by Hannah Lawing (2010).
• Christiaansen’s career digs per set average of 3.99 currently ranks second all-time at South Carolina. Fernanda LaLaires (1996-97) holds the record of 4.03.
• Christiaansen is on pace to post a top-five digs per set average for a single season in the rally scoring era. Her current average of 4.36 ranks fourth ahead of the next closest average of 3.91 by Paige Wheeler (2012).
Scouting LSU
• LSU enters Saturday’s match with an 18-8 overall record and a 13-4 mark in the SEC.
• The Tigers are 9-1 in their last 10 matches, with the loss being in five sets at Mississippi State.
• LSU is 7-4 on the road this season, including a win at No. 12 Kentucky.
• On the season, the Tigers are outhitting their opponents .238-.198 and out-blocking opponents 252-185.
• As a team, the Tigers rank second in the conference in blocks per set (2.40) and third in aces per set (1.29).
• Sophomore middle blocker Briana Holman, an All-SEC selection, leads the conference and ranks fifth nationally in blocks per set (1.51). She also ranks third in the SEC in kills per set (3.84) and fifth in hitting percentage (.391).
• Senior setter Malorie Pardo ranks sixth in the SEC in assists per set (10.42).
• Junior libero Haley Smith ranks fourth in the league in digs per set (4.34).
• Junior outside hitter Cati Leak was named to the All-SEC team as she averages 2.63 kills per set and 2.31 digs per set.
• Freshman outside hitter Gina Tillis earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team. She averages 2.76 kills per set.
Series History vs. LSU
• Saturday’s matchup will be the 35th all-time meeting between South Carolina and LSU.
• The Tigers lead the all-time series 21-13.
• The Gamecocks are 1-9 in their last 10 matches vs. LSU.
• Carolina’s lone win over LSU in the last 10 matches was a 3-2 win in Columbia on Sept. 23, 2012.
• The Gamecocks are 7-9 all-time in home matches against the Tigers.
• South Carolina’s last win over LSU was a five-set decision on Sept. 23, 2012 in Columbia.
• The Gamecocks are 1-5 vs. LSU under head coach Scott Swanson.
Last Time vs. LSU – Oct. 31, 2014
• The Gamecocks lost in four sets at LSU by the scores of 23-25, 25-20, 25-15 and 25-21 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
• Carolina out-blocked the Tigers 10-6, but LSU held the advantage in hitting percentage (.299-.228), kills (67-44) and digs (63-58).
• After the Gamecocks won the first set and held LSU to a .196 hitting percentage, the Tigers responded by hitting .519 in the second set and .333 in the third set to win both and take a 2-1 lead.
• Freshman outside hitter Taylr McNeil and sophomore KoKo Atoa-Williams led the Gamecocks with 10 kills each, while junior setter Kellie McNeil produced a double-double with 12 assists, 13 digs, six kills and five blocks.
• Middle blocker Briana Holman led LSU with 21 kills and four blocks, while outside hitter Gina Tillis had 17 kills while hitting .406.
Packing the CVC
• South Carolina ranks fifth in the SEC and 32nd nationally in average attendance at the Carolina Volleyball Center (1,288).
• The Gamecocks have played in front of 1,000 or more fans in 11 of their 14 home matches.
• Eight of this year’s 14 home crowds rank in the top 10 in CVC history.
• The crowd of 1,807 for the Ole Miss match is a CVC record.
