Gamecocks Lose Five-Set Heartbreaker to Furman
Sept. 6, 2014
ROCK HILL, S.C. — The South Carolina volleyball team dropped a 3-2 decision to Furman on Saturday, as the Paladins won by the scores of 25-21, 22-25, 21-25, 25-21 and 17-15 in the Carolina Challenge at Winthrop Coliseum.
With the loss, the Gamecocks fall to 3-2 on the season. Furman improves to 2-3 overall.
South Carolina lost the first set but bounced back to win sets two and three and was leading 20-16 in the fourth set. However, Furman closed out the set on a 9-1 run and claimed a 17-15 win in a back-and-forth fifth set to win the match.
The Gamecocks out-blocked the Paladins 14-11, but Furman held a slim advantage in hitting (.183-.182), kills 69-61 and digs 95-91.
Three Gamecocks finished the match with double-doubles, led by freshman outside hitter Taylr McNeil’s career-high 22 kills while hitting .321 and 23 digs. McNeil also had five blocks. Sophomore KoKo Atoa-Williams pitched in 15 kills and a career-high 15 digs, while freshman Allie Monserez dished out a career-high 41 assists and had 14 digs and five blocks. Senior libero Mikaela Christiaansen finished with 19 digs, while junior middle blocker Darian Dozier recorded 12 kills, nine blocks and seven digs.
Ashton Gregory paced Furman with 21 kills while hitting .326, while Christen Sikora (16 kills, 10 digs) and Annie Bierman (11 kills, 16 digs), and setter Jo Wilks (59 assists, 16 digs) all finished with double-doubles for the Paladins. Amelia Bohlander added 12 kills in the win.
Match Changer
South Carolina took momentum with wins in the second and third sets and looked to be on its way to a win in the fourth set with a 20-16 lead. However, Furman closed out the set on a 9-1 run to win 25-21.
Key Stat
Gregory, Bohlander and Bierman combined for 10 of Furman’s 12 kills in the fifth set with just one attack error on 18 attempts.
Notables
• Taylr McNeil (22 kills, 23 digs), Monserez (41 assists, 14 digs) and Atoa-Williams (15 kills, 15 digs) all finished with double-doubles for the Gamecocks. It’s the first time a South Carolina team has had three players with double-doubles since having three at Alabama on Nov. 16, 2012.
• McNeil’s 22 kills and 23 digs are both career highs.
• Monserez’s 41 asssists and 14 digs are career highs.
• Atoa-Williams finished with a career-high 15 digs.
Up Next
The Gamecocks will wrap up play at the Carolina Challenge tonight at 7 against Winthrop at the Winthrop Coliseum.
