Sept. 23, 2001
Columbia, SC – Bouncing back in fine fashion, the No. 19 South Carolina volleyball team defeated SEC Eastern Division foe Georgia 3-0 this afternoon in Columbia. USC moves to 7-1 and 1-1 in the SEC, while Georgia falls to 5-3 and 0-1 in the SEC. It is the fourth straight regular season with over the Bulldogs and avenges USC’s 2-3 SEC Tournament loss to UGA in 2000. Game scores were 30-24, 30-26 and 30-21. USC hit .313 to UGA’s .120. USC added 39 digs to UGA’s 28 and had 10 team blocks to the Bulldogs eight.
USC was led by freshman middle blocker Niece Curry, who knocked down a match-high 11 kills, with six block assists. Junior Cally Plummer hit .421 with 10 kills, nine digs and three block assists. Setter Megan Hosp hit .571 with five kills, 38 assists, four digs and two block assists. Sam Alban was six of eight, hitting .750 with two block assists.
“I expected us to come out a little shaky in the first game today. Georgia is a good team and they are always well prepared when we play,” said USC Head Coach Kim Christopher. “I was happy to see Megan Hosp, Cally Plummer and Niece Curry work well together today. This win is an important step in our goal to win the SEC title.”
Game one USC took a 7-4 lead on a kill by Berna Dwyer. The two teams tied it up five times before USC took over for good on a dump by Hosp to make it 19-17 USC. USC went up 22-19 on a kill by Curry and 26-20 on a kill by Dwyer. USC won game one 30-24 on a Bulldog error. USC hit .375 to UGA’s .111.
In game two Georgia went up 8-5 before USC rallied to tie it at 11 on an error by UGA. The two once again played back and forth, tying it at six times before USC went up 21-20 on a kill by Nadia Sefferovich. USC took a 24-20 lead on an ace by Sefferovich. USC won game two on a kill to the back row by Curry, taking game two 30-26.
USC ran out to a quick 6-1 lead, but Georgia rallied back to tie it at 12. USC then went on 7-4 run to take control of game three at 20-14. Nia Mackie hit one in the back row to go up 26-18. USC won the game and the match 30-21 on another kill by Plummer.
