Sept. 7, 2007
Complete Game Book in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina picked up a win in the opening match of the 2007 Nike Gamecock Invitational over Rice, 30-20, 26-30, 30-21, 30-20, behind a double-double from sophomore Ivana Kujundzic. The Gamecocks improved their record to 5-2 on the season, while the Owls fell to 3-5.
Belita Salters led the Garnet and Black with her 14 kills, six blocks and .421 hitting percentage. Dani Bedore contributed a .421 hitting percentage, putting down nine kills. Kujundzic had a .290 hitting percentage with her 13 kills while also adding 11 digs. Three other Gamecocks totaled double-digit digs, led by libero Dinelia Concepcion’s 17. Jordan Bradosky matched Kujundzic with 11 digs, while Sarah Cline had 10. Annie Thomas also contributed eight kills and four blocks. Megan Laughlin led all players with five aces in the match.
The Owls saw Jennifer McClean take home a double-double with 16 kills and 17 digs, while Jessica Holderness and Natalie Bogan added 12 and 10 kills, respectively.
In game one, South Carolina hit to the tune of .351 to take a 30-20 win. Salters had five kills and her lone solo block of the match in the game, while Meredith Moorhead contributed four of her kills in the game as well. After Rice tied up the game at 7-7, the Gamecocks went on a 15-5 run to take command of the game.
Rice took control in game two, hitting at a .222 clip to South Carolina’s .171. Jessie Boulavsky led the Owls with four kills in the frame, while Bogan, McClean and Caroline Gill all had three. After falling down 14-10 and 16-12, the Gamecocks nearly tied up the match after Laughlin’s service ace which brought USC back to within one. But Rice got two straight aces from Meredith Schamun to retake control.
Game three had South Carolina outlasting Rice, as both teams’ hitting percentages stayed under .100. The Gamecocks ran out to a 12-5 lead, thanks in part to a pair of aces from Laughlin. After the Owls closed the gap to 18-14, South Carolina rolled off five straight points to help close out the game.
Bedore helped put game four away with her .571 hitting percentage, four kills and two blocks, while Kujundzic and Thomas also added four kills. Salters added two blocks and three kills in the frame. The squads swapped points essentially until 15-15, when the Gamecocks put away four straight points to put some distance between the squads.
South Carolina out-hit the Owls, .226-.096, while also compiling 11 team blocks, compared to seven for Rice.
In the second match, Appalachian State outlasted Troy, 31-29, 27-30, 25-30, 30-19, 15-13, to gain the Mountaineers’ second win of the season. Brittany Zahn led ASU with 24 kills and 10 digs, while Troy saw Jean McCarthy tally a double-double with 24 digs and 11 kills.
Play continues in the 2007 Nike Gamecock Invitational for South Carolina at 7:30 p.m. against Troy. Prior to the host’s return to the court, Appalachian State and Rice will face off at 5 p.m.
