Sept. 12, 2003
South Bend, Ind. – Gamecock volleyball fell to 2-5 on the season as they fell to the Utah Utes 3-0 at the Shamrock Invitational on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. The Utes defeated USC 30-18, 30-22, 31-29. Kelly Sommerfeldt led Utah with 13 kills. For Carolina, Sarah Morgan led with seven. Katelyn Panzau and Lauren Ford both hit .300 and Ford led the team with five blocks. The Gamecocks hit .188 to Utah’s .264 and had 38 kills to the Utes 49.
In game one, Utah’s defense held Carolina to .093 hitting percentage and recorded 10 kills and six errors. The Utes outdug the Gamecocks 24 to 14 and recorded six block assists to Carolina’s two. Utah maintained the lead the entire game and went ahead 1-0 after posting a 30-18 score over Carolina in game one.
The Gamecocks tried to bounce back in game two but were unsuccessful in their attempts as Utah won 30-22 and took a 2-0 lead in the match. At the break, Morgan led Carolina with six kills and a .313 average while Lyndsey Henderson led Utah with nine kills and hit .538. As a team, the Utes outhit Carolina .307 to .156.
Tied 28-28 in game three Carolina lost the volley on a kill by Utah but a kill by Shonda Cole tied it back up for the Gamecocks at 29-29. A kill by Lauren Turner put the Utes ahead once again and a ball handling error by Carolina gave Utah match point and Carolina fell 31-29 for the game and 3-0 for the match. The Gamecocks recorded their best hitting game of the match in game three as they posted 16 kills and hit .250.
The Gamecocks continue action in the Shamrock Invitational on Saturday when they face Indiana at 4:30 p.m. (CT).
