Oct. 31, 2008
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Returning home seemed to do help out South Carolina, as the Gamecocks bounced back from two tough five-set defeats on the road last weekend to roll over Arkansas, 25-14, 25-18, 25-18, on Friday evening in the Volleyball Competition Facility. The victory moved the Gamecocks to 17-6 on the season and 8-5 in Southeastern Conference action, while the Razorbacks fall to 6-16, 3-9 in league outings.
Redshirt senior middle blocker Belita Salters fell one attempt short of qualifying for the record books, recording an .857 hitting percentage on 12 kills. Sophomore outside hitter Hannah Lawing tied Salters for top honors in kills with 12, while she hit a career-best .476. Lawing just missed a double-double, collecting nine digs as well. Junior outside hitter Ivana Kujundzic tied Salters and Lawing for the lead in points, making 10 kills and a match-best three aces, while also getting her fourth-straight double-double in SEC play with 13 digs. Junior libero Sarah Cline tied Kujundzic for high honors with her 13 digs. For Arkansas, Christina Lawrence had nine kills.
South Carolina got out of the gates quickly in the first set, hitting .500 in the 25-14 win. After the set was tied at 8-8, the Gamecocks took 17 of the next 23 points, making two three-point runs and a five-point skein that put the squad to set point. Lawing was a perfect 5-for-5 in the frame and wrapped it up a kill. The sophomore also made her first solo block of the campaign and a set-best four digs.
The Garnet and Black ran away with nine-consecutive points in the second set to give them a 14-7 advantage. Four different Gamecocks collected a kill during the stretch. Arkansas kept fighting, putting together a three-point string to force a Gamecock timeout at 17-12. But South Carolina would finish the job. Salters punctuated the 25-18 win with the clincher, her fourth kill of the frame. Lawing had five kills in the second as well.
Coming out of the break, Arkansas looked to get back in the match, taking an early 8-5 advantage. But the Gamecocks responded, as Kujundzic got back-to-back aces to tie up the frame at 8-8. A three-point run on kills by Lawing, Moorhead and Salters put South Carolina on top for good at 12-9. South Carolina continued to stay one step ahead of the Razorbacks, always forcing a side out until a Scanlan dump followed a Lawrence kill to put Arkansas down by just two at 19-17. But Salters stopped the mini-streak with a kill, and senior Dinelia Concepcion served up an ace in between Arkansas attacking errors to put Carolina up 23-17. Salters ended the contest with a spike on an overpass, her sixth kill in a perfect third set. Cline had six of her digs in the final set.
The Carolina Gamecocks compiled a .432 hitting percentage on the night while holding the Razorback to .158. South Carolina also had the advantage in assists, digs and aces, while tying Arkansas in blocks.
South Carolina hosts Ole Miss on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p,m. EST at the Volleyball Competition Facility.
