Oct. 14, 2004

Columbia, S.C. – Gamecock volleyball (10-5, 3-3 SEC) continues its SEC western division tour as they travel to face the Alabama Crimson Tide (13-4, 3-3 SEC) and the Auburn Tigers (6-8, 1-5 SEC) this weekend. USC will take on the Tide Friday night at 8 p.m. (EST) and will meet the Tigers on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. (EST).

After coming off of a 2-0 weekend, USC is 3-1 against the SEC west this year. For the series, Alabama leads Carolina 13-11 and have taken the last three matches. Last year, the Gamecocks fell to the Tide 3-1 in Tuscaloosa and was eliminated by Alabama at the SEC Tournament in Columbia. The last Gamecock victory against the Tide was in 2002.

Against Auburn, USC leads 11-6 and has won nine consecutive matches. USC’s last loss to the Tigers came in 1995.

Alabama is coming off of a split weekend after defeating LSU 3-0, but fell to Arkansas 3-1. Auburn is looking to snap a four-match losing streak after losing to LSU and Arkansas last weekend. The Tigers one SEC victory was against Kentucky back on Oct. 8.

In SEC matches, Erin Heffner leads Alabama in kills with 109, while Julie Farley leads the team in blocks with 24. For the Tigers, Ashlee Johns has 101 kills and is averaging 4.59 kills per game.

USC’s top SEC leaders are SEC Defensive Player of the Week Lauren Ford, who leads in blocks (39), Shonda Cole, who leads in kills (81), Lynae Vanden Hull who leads in hitting percentage (.327) and Katelyn Panzau who leads in assists (8.19 per game).