Nov. 2, 2012
COLUMBIA, Mo. – South Carolina forced some extra points in the third set, but Missouri (16-8, 8-6 SEC) prevailed in three sets 25-22, 25-19, 28-26, in front of 1,702 fans at Hearnes Center on Friday night.
Lisa Henning tallied 17 kills to lead the Tigers and added 10 digs. Whitney Little contributed 12 kills without an error, posting a .667 hitting percentage and adding a match-best five blocks. Molly Kreklow made 47 assists and a team-best 13 digs, and Sarah Meister contributed 12 digs.
Junior outside hitter Juliette Thévenin had 17 kills and nine digs for the Gamecocks (15-11, 3-11 SEC). Junior libero Paige Wheeler tied for match-best honors with 13 digs. Sophomore outside hitter Bethanie Thomas had six kills and 10 digs.
Missouri took the first set 25-22. The Tigers took the lead with an 11-3 run, gaining a 12-6 advantage. The Gamecocks drew within one late after kills by Thomas and redshirt sophomore middle blocker Cara Howley made it 22-21. Missouri took three of the next four, including an ace by Jade Hayes to cap it at 25-22. Henning had six kills and Regan Peltier four in the first for the Tigers.
The Gamecocks held a 12-11 lead in the second, but the Tigers came back to win the frame 25-19. South Carolina tied the set at 10-10 after two aces from junior defensive specialist Lindsey Craft and a Thévenin kill, but Missouri responded a few points later. Tied at 13-13, the Tigers took the next six points to take control of the frame. Henning had three kills of her six kills of the frame in the stretch. A Gamecock attack error ended things at 25-19. Thévenin had six kills as well in the stanza.
Missouri took a tight third set 28-26. The Tigers owned a 14-10 lead after consecutive solo blocks from Henning and Little, but the Gamecocks came back to within one on a three-point stand that included a freshman Jenna Allen kill off the block and Thomas’s solo stuff. South Carolina tied it with a 4-1 skein that included two kills from both Thévenin and Allen. The teams traded points until the end, when Peltier and Lydia Ely posted back-to-back kills, Ely on a return tip from a Gamecock attack, to claim the set 28-26 and the match. Little had six kills in the final frame while Henning and Emily Wilson both added five for the Tigers. Thévenin had eight kills in the final set while Allen posted five for the Gamecocks.
The Gamecocks won the aces battle, 4-3, but the Tigers held advantages in the rest, including a 10-3 blocks lead.
South Carolina finishes the weekend trip with Sunday’s match at Kentucky. First serve is set for 1:30 p.m. EST at Memorial Coliseum.
