Oct. 9, 2008

South Carolina vs. Tennessee | Friday, 7 p.m.

| Live Video

South Carolina vs. Kentucky | Sunday, 1:30 p.m.

| Live Video

General Information

Game Notes | Ben Somera | Promotions

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina gets a respite from the road this weekend, as it hosts Tennessee and Kentucky at the Volleyball Competition Facility. The Lady Vols are the opposition for the second-annual Dig for the Cure match on Friday at 7 p.m., while Sunday’s contest against the Wildcats is slated for a 1:30 p.m. start. The first 100 fans to Friday’s match will receive a free “Dig for the Cure” shirt.

Tennessee brings a 10-6 record to Columbia after downing Louisville on Wednesday night. The Lady Vols stand fourth in the SEC East and fourth overall in the league with their 4-2 league record. Kentucky starts the weekend with a 15-2 record overall and meets fellow 6-0 SEC team Florida on Friday night in Gainesville. The Wildcats made the NCAA Tournament a year ago and had won 12 straight before their meeting against the Gators.

Record-Type Performances
The middle blockers for South Carolina have turned in some stellar performances over the past two seasons, with redshirt senior Belita Salters writing her name in the single-match record books twice already in 2008. She hit a career-best .543 (21-2-35) in the five-set victory over UNLV, the third-highest average for a Gamecock in a five-set match. She followed that with a .536 (17-2-28) mark in the victory at Rhode Island in the Art Carmichael Classic, which stands fourth on the five-set match charts.

After watching Salters put her name in the record book twice, sophomore middle blocker Megan Laughlin decided to get in on the action. Her .652 (15-0-23) against the College of Charleston ranks as the fifth-best output in a three-set match in history, replacing Lori Rowe’s .636 versus Southern Miss on Oct. 15, 1983.

Is It That Simple?
The Gamecocks enter the weekend with an 13-2 record, and the match-by-match stats tell us one thing about the losses. If South Carolina hits above .175, it wins. In the team’s two losses, they hit .085 and .168. Their worst performance in a win was at Arkansas, when the squad hit .182. Those two percentages also helped the opponents, Arizona State and Mississippi, to top the Garnet and Black in that category. South Carolina is 13-0 when it out-hits its opposition. The Gamecocks are also 12-0 when it has less hitting errors than the other side.

Strong Schedule Brings Gamecocks Unique Recognition
The Carolina Gamecocks have put themselves in impressive company. The squad has defeated six teams that played in last year’s NCAA Tournament, and only one other team not currently ranked in the nation’s top 25 has matched that. Texas A&M has also defeated six teams, and the comparison to determine whose wins are better is close. The Gamecocks defeated three teams that won in the first round, (Dayton, Clemson and LSU), while the Aggies have victories over BYU, a 2007 regional finalist, and Oklahoma, who won its first-round contest but fell to Florida in the second. The rest of South Carolina’s wins (UNLV, College of Charleston and Alabama) could be seen as stronger than Texas A&M’s (American, Siena, Texas State and Missouri).

Among the Elite Early in 2008
South Carolina’s early-season record stands among the very best in the country. Entering the week, there were just three undefeated teams among the 315 full-fledged Division I teams in the country. The Gamecocks are two steps down, part of the 16 teams that just have two losses on the year. Florida and Kentucky both join the Gamecocks as SEC squads in that top eight percent.

Home Not as Hospitable Recently
The Gamecocks are looking to reverse a recent trend in regards to their home record. Last season, the squad went 8-5 at home, which was its best mark since 2002. However, from 2003-07, South Carolina was just 31-31 (.500) at the Volleyball Competition Facility and had just two season above .500 in that period. In the seven previous seasons since moving into the building, the squad never had a losing home record and owned a 75-16 (.824) record. This season, the Gamecocks are 5-0 at home, sweeping through the Carolina Challenge and the first SEC home weekend. Three of those five wins came over 2007 NCAA Tournament teams: College of Charleston, Clemson and LSU.

Digs and Serve Reception Key to Gamecocks’ Start
When South Carolina’s season ended last November, the coaching staff immediately made a goal to improve the team’s defense, particularly digs and serve receptions. It seems that hard work has paid off. The Gamecocks currently lead the SEC and stand 29th nationally with 16.05 digs per set. That’s just 1.2 digs off the squad’s pace from last season when each game contained five more points.

Something that might be missed, however, is the fact the team’s serve reception has also improved. Last year, South Carolina made 1.3 errors per set and successfully received a serve 94.5 percent of the time. The 2008 percentage stands just under that mark at 94.0 percent, as the squad now gives up 1.0 aces per set. In fact, the squad’s opponents have just 56 aces on the season while making 99 service errors in the process. The Gamecocks’ serving game has cut down on the errors, making just two more errors than their 63 aces this season.

South Carolina in the SEC Stats
The Gamecocks stand out in the Southeastern Conference statistical rankings that come out each Tuesday. The squad leads the league with a 16.05 digs-per-set average, while libero Sarah Cline ranks fifth on the individual charts. Middle blockers Belita Salters and Megan Laughlin have helped South Carolina to the No. 2 spot in hitting percentage as a team, while both stand in the top 10 individually. Kentucky joins South Carolina with more than one athlete in the top 10 in hitting percentage. The Garnet and Black also ranks third in the conference with 13.78 kills per set and is the only team that has two athletes in the top 10. Carolina’s setting game also stands second, as does junior Bridget Denson-Dorman in the individual assists category.

Blocking Is a Team Effort
With a lot of experience back, it makes working together easier. That has really come into play with the Gamecocks’ blocking efforts in 2008. The team still is led by Belita Salters and Megan Laughlin in the middle, but they have gotten a lot of help up front. Five of the six regular front-row players average around a block per match (0.3 blocks per set) in 2008, with the other checking in at 0.22 blocks per set, just below that threshold. Last season, five Gamecocks ended the year above that 0.3 mark.

Maybe Not a Team Effort, but Avoiding Blocks are Good, Too
So far the Gamecocks have been adept at avoiding the opposition’s blocking schemes. South Carolina has been blocked an average of 1.44 times per set this season, which ranks third in the SEC. Alabama leads the way with a 1.30 mark, while Kentucky’s opponents have maintained a 1.31 blocks-per-set average this season.

A Pair of Streaks End, One Survives
Two Gamecocks saw their consecutive sets-played streak come to an end during the opening weekend of SEC play. Middle blockers Belita Salters and Megan Laughlin both missed the match against LSU due to different ailments. That ended streaks of 141 and 140 straight sets played, respectively, for the pair. The longest current streak is held by Ivana Kujundzic, who has played in 147 straight sets, dating back to the Boston College match in 2007.

South Carolina’s Version of The Triplets
The Indianapolis Colts were the most recent version of “triplets” in the NFL, while it’s believed that the Dallas Cowboys originated the term talking about the team’s top three players. For the Gamecocks, the triplets are senior Belita Salters, junior Ivana Kujundzic and sophomore Megan Laughlin. As shown below, Kujundzic has led the Gamecocks 10 of the 15 matches this season in kills, while Salters and Laughlin have both topped the squad on three occasions. What that chart doesn’t show you is the consistency of the top three. Laughlin and Salters have ranked second in kills five times each, while Kujundzic has ranked second in those five matches that she didn’t lead. Others have stepped up when needed, as Meredith Moorhead and Annie Thomas have each ranked second in kills once. And freshman Teresa Stenlund did her best Laughlin or Salters impression during her one start, providing a great second option on offense against LSU.

Kujundzic Takes Home Weekly Awards
Junior outside hitter Ivana Kujundzic picked up the Gamecocks’ first SEC award of the season, claiming the Offensive Player of the Week certificate on Monday, Sept. 15. Kujundzic also earned the CVU.com National Player of the Week award, the first national award for a Gamecock volleyball player since Sept. 16, 2006. The Subotica, Serbia, native averaged 4.36 kills and 3.09 digs per set with a .355 hitting percentage during the Carolina Challenge. She nearly single-handedly won the fifth set against archrival Clemson, recording six kills, including four that staved off match point or set up Carolina for the win.

Gamecocks Show Skills in Non-Conference
Comparing the stats from each weekend is one bit of evidence about how much hard work during practice pays off for a team. The Gamecocks increased their offense in each weekend tournament, starting at 12.4 kills and 11.1 assists per set at Arizona State, moving to 13.5 kills and 11.4 assists in the Art Carmichael Classic before breaking out for 15.8 kills and 14.8 assists in the Carolina Challenge. The Garnet and Black’s hitting percentage has also climbed each week, starting at .197 before shooting to .308 and .324. The defense has been steady, never dropping below 15.7 digs per frame.

Series History Against Tennessee
The Gamecocks and Lady Volunteers have met 50 times previously, with Tennessee holding a narrow 26-24 advantage in the series. The squads have split each of the last two years, with both Gamecock wins coming at home in 3-1 decisions. All time in Columbia, South Carolina owns a 13-6 mark.

Scouting the Lady Vols
Tennessee owns a 10-6 mark overall after defeating Louisville on Wednesday night. In SEC play, the Lady Vols have won four and lost two. They have been the best defensive team in the league through their six conference matches, averaging 16.95 digs per set, just under one more than the Gamecocks. Tennesee stands in the top four of the other statistical categories in conference matches only, while for the season the squad holds down the top spot in opponent hitting percentage at .150. Nikki Fowler leads the team with a 3.37 kills-per-set average. Milan Clarke helps out to the tune of 2.70 kills per frame. The Lady Vols utilize two setters, led by Michaela Hanakova’s 5.47 assists per set. Kelsey Mahoney is just behind her with 5.02 assists per set. Tennessee gets 1.34 aces per set from its squad, led by Mahoney’s 0.31. Libero Chloe Goldman leads all defenders with her 5.29 digs-per-frame mark in conference play and 4.58 digs-per-set average overall.

Series History Against Kentucky
The Wildcats have won 20 of the 37 meetings between these two programs, including both matches last season. The Garnet and Black came out on top at home in 2006, the squad’s only win over UK since 2003. At home, South Carolina owns a 11-6 record against Kentucky.

Scouting the Wildcats
An NCAA Tournament team in 2007, Kentucky has looked impressive while garnering a No. 25 ranking from the American Volleyball Coaches Association this week. The Wildcats enter Friday’s match at Florida with a 15-2 overall record and a spotless 6-0 mark in league play. The squad is among the top two in league matches in hitting percentage, opponent hitting percentage, kills and blocks, leading the way in the last category with a 3.30 per-set average. On the season, the Cats lead the league in hitting percentage (.272) and blocks (2.83). Queen Nzenwa leads the squad and ranks second in the SEC with a .373 hitting percentage. Setter Sarah Rumely has a conference-best 10.66 set assists-per-frame average and contributes 2.31 digs per set.. Sophomore Sarah Mendoza, however, leads the team with 3.17 kills per set and adds 2.44 digs per frame, while Lauren Rapp is just behind her with a 3.05 mark. Nzenwa has a 2.49 kills-per-frame average. Nzewna and Becky Pavan are atop the league’s stats during conference matches in blocks with 1.50 and 1.35 averages, respectively. Rapp and Rumely stand sixth (1.15) and seventh (1.05) on the same chart. BriAnne Sauer averages 4.20 digs per set.