Nov. 4, 2004

Columbia, S.C. – The South Carolina volleyball team (11-10, 4-8 SEC) will host their final home SEC series this weekend as they welcome the LSU Tigers (13-9, 5-7 SEC) and the Arkansas Lady Razorbacks (12-10, 9-3 SEC). The Gamecocks will take on the Tigers Friday at 7 p.m. The USC vs. Arkansas match-up will be Sunday at 1 p.m. The Arkansas match will be televised live on FOX Sports Net South, Channel 31 on Time Warner Cable in Columbia. Both matches can be heard live via the Internet at uscsports.com.

This will be the first meeting for USC against both teams this season. Last year, the Gamecocks beat LSU in Baton Rouge but fell to the Tigers in Columbia. The loss to LSU snapped a nine-match win streak that dated back to 1995 for USC. The Gamecocks still lead the series against LSU 11-7. The Lady `Backs have a 10-5 lead in the series over the Gamecocks and swept Carolina in both meetings last year. The Gamecocks’ last victory against Arkansas was a 3-1 defeat in 2002.

The Tigers are currently ranked third in the SEC West and would have a sixth seed in the SEC Tournament were it to begin today. Arkansas leads the West and would be a third seed in the tournament. The Gamecocks would be a seventh seed and are currently fifth in the SEC East.

LSU is coming off of a two-match win streak in the SEC as they defeated Auburn 3-0 and Alabama 3-1 last weekend. Arkansas posted wins over Alabama and Auburn as well and have a six-match win streak intact, including four SEC victories.

The Gamecocks are trying to break a four-match losing streak. USC has fallen in five of their last six conference matches, including a tough 3-2 loss to Kentucky last weekend. This is the longest losing streak in conference matches for the Gamecocks since last year when USC suffered five-straight.

With 298 kills, Shonda Cole will look to record her 300th of the season in Friday’s match. Lauren Ford recorded her 100 total block of the season last weekend and with 105, she is the first Gamecock to reach the century mark for a season since Niece Curry registered 114 in 2002. Ford currently has 94 block assists and is six away from the becoming only the seventh Gamecock to record 100 block assists in a single season.

This will also be the last home match for the Gamecocks until Nov. 27 when they host North Carolina in a post-Thanksgiving meeting. USC will close out the regular conference schedule next weekend when they travel to Florida and Georgia. The SEC Tournament will be Nov. 19-21 in Gainesville, Fla.