Sept. 9, 2001
OXFORD, OH – Taking home its second straight tournament title with junior Cally Plummer taking home the MVP trophy, No. 21 South Carolina defeated Illinois State 3-0 today in its final match of the Miami Tournament. USC travels to Clemson on Wednesday, Sept. 12 before returning home next weekend to host the Carolina Classic.
In addition to Plummer picking up MVP of the Tournament, setter Megan Hosp and middle blocker Niece Curry were also named to the All-Tournament team. USC won all three tournament matches, vs. Illinois State, Purdue and Miami, 3-0.
“Each time we go out we get a little bit better. Winning this tournament is important because it gives us confidence as go into the next two weeks,” said USC Head Coach Kim Christopher. “Megan and Cally stepped up this weekend as great leaders. We had to come from behind in the third game and their leadership was a large reason.”
Game scores were 30-22, 30-20 and 31-29. USC hit .296, while ISU hit .145. USC tabbed eight team blocks to the ‘Birds six. USC outdug ISU 44-39 and added 10 aces to ISU’s seven.
Plummer knocked down a match-high 20 kills, hitting a sparkling .531. Plummer added three ades, six digs and three block assists. Nadia Sefferovich had nine kills, hitting .350 with 12 digs and two block assists. Hosp stepped up again, with 39 assists, three kills and six digs.
“The coaches did a great job scouting. We knew they had a really good setter and we needed to pick up her tips and control the tempo,” said junior Cally Plummer. “ISU is a good team and we had a purpose to win this tournament and to do that we had to beat Illinois State.”
In game one the two teams played close, tying it up five times before USC took a 15-12 lead on a kill by Berna Dwyer. USC went up 19-14 on another Dwyer kill and then 25-17 on a Liz Price ace. USC won game one 30-20 on an ace by Sefferovich.
In game two the two teams continued to play point for point, tying it three times before the Gamecocks wrestled back control of the match, taking a 15-12 lead on a Dwyer kill. USC went up 26-17 on two straight Curry block solos and another ace by Price. USCC won game two on an ace by Sefferovich, taking the game 30-20.
Game two the two teams tied it at two and then nine times, with ISU taking a 26-28 lead. USC called time out, regrouped and tied it at 28 and 29. USC won the game and the match on an ace by, who else, but Plummer.
