Nov. 25, 2014

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina volleyball team wraps up a stretch of three straight road matches on Wednesday at No. 6 Florida.

First serve between the Gamecocks (17-12, 7-9 SEC) and Gators (23-3, 17-0) is set for 7 p.m. at the O’Connell Center. The match will be streamed live through participating providers on SEC Network+ via WatchESPN. It will also air tape delayed on ESPNU at 10 p.m.

MATCH INFORMATION
Wednesday: at No. 6 Florida, 7 p.m. (SEC Network+) | Live Stats | SEC Network+
On Twitter: @GamecockVolley
Match Notes

South Carolina at a Glance
• The Gamecocks are 17-12 on the season and 7-9 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 15 different starting lineups this season.
• Junior middle blocker Darian Dozier has started every match, while senior Mikaela Christiaansen has been libero all 29 matches.

A Look Back at the Georgia Match
• The Gamecocks defeated the Bulldogs in Athens by the scores of 26-24, 17-25, 32-30 and 26-24.
• The win is Carolina’s first at Georgia since a 3-0 win in Athens on Oct. 16, 2009.
• Senior libero Mikaela Christiaansen recorded 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.
• Junior right side Sarah Blomgren matched her career-high with 17 digs while hitting .400 and had a career-high nine digs.
• Junior middle blocker Darian Dozier pitched in 14 kills while hitting a season-best .444.
• The Gamecocks and Bulldogs each recorded 60 kills for the match, while Georgia held the advantage in hitting percentage (.217-.187) and blocks (17-7). Carolina finished with an 80-71 edge in digs.
• The 17 blocks by Georgia are the most by a Gamecock opponent since LSU recorded 17 in Columbia on Sept. 16, 2012.

Gamecocks in the SEC Stats
• South Carolina ranks fourth in the SEC in blocks per set (2.35) and is first in total blocks (273).
• Carolina is fourth in the SEC opponent hitting percentage (.197).
• The Gamecocks rank second in the conference in digs per set (14.99).
• Junior middle blocker Darian Dozier is fourth in the SEC in blocks per set (1.19). She also ranks third in the conference in total blocks (135).
• 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 (4.41) and second in total digs (512).

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.

Road Match Notes
• Carolina is 6-5 in road matches this season.
• The win at Tennessee snapped a five-match road losing streak.
• The six road wins are Carolina’s most since recording seven in 2002.
• Opponents are outhitting the Gamecocks .200-.188 on the road.
• Carolina is averaging 11.21 kills per set on the road, while opponents are averaging 12.98.
• Under head coach Scott Swanson, the Gamecocks are 15-31 on the road.

A Win on Wednesday 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 .246-.200.
• The Gamecocks have been out-blocked 85-84.
• Carolina has played in five five-set matches and is 1-4 in those matches.
• Junior Sarah Blomgren has been the Gamecocks’ most efficient attacker, hitting .326 while averaging 2.54 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 (2.65) and is second in digs per set (2.50).

On this Date
• On Nov. 26, 2008, the Gamecocks came up short in a five-set match at home against No. 14 Florida, falling by the scores of 25-27, 25-17, 22-25, 25-21 and 15-11. Carolina held an 8-5 lead in the fifth set before the Gators closed out the match with a 10-3 run. Ivana Kujundzic led Carolina with a double-double, recording 17 kills, 10 digs and six blocks.

Climbing the Single-Season and Career Records Lists
• Junior middle blocker Darian Dozier ranks eighth all-time in block assists at South Carolina with 290. She is 15 block assists away from seventh and 16 away from sixth on the all-time list.
• Dozier has moved to first on the single-season rally scoring era list for total blocks with 135, breaking Belita Salters (2007) record of 128.
• With 123 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 1.19 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 512 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 4.01 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 4.41 ranks fourth ahead of the next closest average of 3.91 by Paige Wheeler (2012).

Scouting No. 6 Florida
• Florida enters Wednesday’s match with a 23-3 overall record and 17-0 mark in the SEC and has won 18 straight matches.
• The Gators have clinched the SEC regular season title. It is their 21st outright SEC championship.
• Florida has only lost five sets in SEC play this season and has not lost a set at home in SEC play.
• The Gators lead the conference in hitting percentage (.317), blocks per set (2.42), opponent hitting percentage (.158) and aces per set (1.62). Florida’s hitting percentage ranks second nationally.
• Florida ranks second in the conference in assists per set (12.92), kills per set (14.10) and service aces (147).
• Freshman middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan leads the conference and ranks second nationally in hitting percentage (.462). She also ranks second in the SEC in blocks per set (1.30).
• Junior setter Mackenzie Dagostino leads the SEC and ranks 11th nationally in aces per set (0.47) and is second in the SEC and 18th nationally in assists per set (11.29).
• Sophomore right side Alex Holston ranks fifth in the SEC in kills per set (3.59) while hitting .351.
• Holly Pole leads the Gators in digs per set (3.40).

Series History vs. Florida
• Wednesday’s match will be the 58th meeting all-time between South Carolina and Florida.
• The Gators lead the all-time series 50-7 and have won 15 straight in the series.
• The Gamecocks are 2-25 all-time in Gainesville.
• South Carolina’s last win over Florida was a 3-1 victory over the sixth-ranked Gators in Columbia on Sept. 17, 2006. It is South Carolina’s last win over a ranked team.
• The Gamecocks are 0-6 vs. Florida under head coach Scott Swanson.

Last Time vs. Florida – Oct. 15, 2014
• The Gamecocks lost in four sets to then-No. 8 Florida by the scores of 19-25, 25-18, 25-13 and 25-19 at the Carolina Volleyball Center.
• Carolina outhit the Gators .395-.167 to win the first set, recording 16 kills and just one attack error on 38 attacks.
• Freshman outside hitter Taylr McNeil paced the Gamecocks with 16 kills, while sophomore KoKo Atoa-Williams had nine kills and 10 digs.
• Alex Holston led Florida with 19 kills and eight digs.
• As a team, Florida held the advantage in kills (55-40), hitting percentage (.226-.119), digs (61-51) and blocks (10-4).

South Carolina vs. Ranked Opponents
• Since joining the SEC in 1991, South Carolina is 8-102 against ranked opponents.
• The Gamecocks’ last win over a ranked opponent was a 3-1 win over No. 6 Florida on Sept. 17, 2006 in Columbia.
• Six of Carolina’s eight wins over ranked opponents have been at home.
• The Gamecocks have lost three matches against ranked opponents this season, falling 3-1 to No. 14 Kentucky, 3-1 to No. 8 Florida and 3-2 to No. 20 Texas A&M.

A Family Affair
• Wednesday’s match will feature two sisters and two cousins competing against each other.
• South Carolina freshman setter Allie Monserez and Florida senior defensive specialist Madison Monserez are sisters.
• Gamecock junior middle blocker Darian Dozier and Florida sophomore right side Alex Holston are cousins.

Block Party
• Blocking has been a key to the Gamecocks’ success this season as they rank fourth in the SEC in blocks per set (2.35). The average is Carolina’s best since averaging 2.41 blocks per set in 2006.
• The Gamecocks have 273 total blocks this season, which is the most by a Carolina team since recording 296 in 2006.
• Junior middle blocker Darian Dozier is fourth in the SEC in blocks per set (1.19).
• South Carolina recorded 17 blocks vs. Eastern Kentucky, its most since recording 20 vs. St. Johns on Sept. 8, 2006.
• Sophomore middle blocker Jacqy Angermiller tallied a career-high 11 blocks (all block assists) vs. Eastern Kentucky, which is tied for the second most block assists in a five-set match in school history and the fourth most total blocks in a five-set match.
• Carolina has out-blocked its opponents in 19 of 29 matches. The Gamecocks are 12-7 in those matches.
• The Gamecocks have out-blocked opponents 168-126 in wins and 105-95 in losses.

Winning the Hitting Battle
• When outhitting opponents, the Gamecocks are 12-0 on the season.
• Carolina is outhitting opponents .242-.163 in wins and is being outhit .243-.153 in losses.
• In conference matches, the Gamecocks are being outhit .235-.198.
• The Gamecocks have held opponents to a below a .150 hitting percentage 10 times in 28 matches.
• Carolina has won five matches when being outhit, vs. Georgia Tech (.258-.269), vs. Ole Miss (.184-.189), vs. Auburn (.211-.221), vs. Missouri (.358-.370) and vs. Georgia (.187-.217).