Sept. 26, 2003
Baton Rouge, La. – It only took South Carolina volleyball three games to record their SEC opener win as the Gamecock defeated the LSU Tigers 3-0. The Garnet and Black improved to 7-6 overall and 1-0 in SEC play. LSU fell to 5-9 and 0-2. Game scores were 30-24, 30-27, 30-28. Lynae Vanden Hull led with 17 kills while Niece Curry led with six blocks.
“To get a 3-0 win here at LSU is great. This is a tough place to play. It is good for this young team to experience playing down here,” said head coach Kim Hudson Christopher. “Lynae Vanden Hull did a good job for us and Sarah Morgan’s leadership helped pull us through late in game three.”
The Tigers outkilled Carolina 15 to 12 in game one but recorded 14 errors to the Gamecocks five, giving USC a .241 average and LSU .025. Carolina outblocked LSU seven to three as USC recorded 14 block assists to LSU’s two.
In game two, the Gamecocks continued to hit well as the Garnet and Black recorded only four errors to LSU’s 10. For the second game in a row, the Tigers outkilled USC 18-15 but the high number of errors allowed Carolina to post a .262 hitting percentage to LSU’s .167.
Carolina fell under .200 in hitting in game three but recorded 20 kills while LSU only posted 14. Carolina had to come from behind in game three as a service ace by Iris Santos brought the Gamecocks to within one at 17-18. A kill by Shonda Cole tied the match for the first time for Carolina and an error by LSU handed USC its first lead of the game. Cole recorded another kill to take USC ahead 21-20 and from there, the Gamecocks built on the lead. Up 29-25, LSU went on a 4-0 run at the end but USC held on and Cole recorded another kill to give the Gamecocks a 30-28 win and the 3-0 match win.
South Carolina tied its season high for block assists with 20 and tied its second highest mark for total blocks this season with 13. The 13 blocks is the most in a three-game match this season for Carolina. The Gamecocks continue SEC action Sunday when they head to Fayetteville, Ark. to face the Arkansas Lady ‘Backs. First serve is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. (CT).
