Nov. 13, 2009
ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Behind 14 Hannah Lawing and 12 Megan Laughlin kills, the Gamecocks (14-12) swept past South Carolina State (13-19), 25-18, 25-17, 25-17, in Dukes Gymnasium.
The junior duo also hit well, with Lawing leading the way with a career-best .522 mark. Laughlin added three block assists, which tied with redshirt freshman Lindsey Roy for team-best honors. Senior libero Sarah Cline bested all players with 19 digs. Jarne Gleaton led the Bulldogs with seven kills, while Lauren Harris had 13 digs.
Lawing had six kills in the first set, helping the Gamecocks hit .469 in the frame. Three three-point strings and two four-point skeins helped South Carolina to the 25-18 win. The Bulldogs made a stand at the end, fighting off four set points before senior Meredith Moorhead put one on the floor to end the frame.
The Gamecocks took control in the second at 10-5, taking six points out of seven in a span. Freshman Brandi Byers capped the run with a solo block. A five-point run that included a Laughlin kill and a block by Laughlin and Roy made it 17-8. After two Bulldogs points, the two squads traded sideouts until the end of the frame, where Lawing ended it at 25-17. Cline had seven digs in the second.
After South Carolina State honored its seniors during the long break, the Bulldogs came out and grabbed a 5-2 lead, with Brittany Davis and Elizabeth Webb combining for the block that punctuated the run. But the Gamecocks came back to take the lead on a five-point run that included two Moorhead kills. A six-point run later pushed the Gamecock lead to 17-10. Lawing had a pair of kills in the later stretch. Kills by freshmen Christina Glover and Byers moved the South Carolina lead to 20-11. Lawing wrapped up the frame again with a kill at 25-17. Redshirt freshman Olivia Ryder tied with Laughlin, both making four kills in the third.
The Gamecocks won the kills, assists, digs and hitting percentage battles, while the two squads tied in aces.
South Carolina closes out play at home this year when it hosts No. 19 LSU on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at the Volleyball Competition Facility. The Gamecocks will honor their four seniors prior to the match.
