Sept. 24, 2010
by Koby Padgett
Assistant Media Relations Director
| Highlights |
COLUMBIA, S.C. – A sputtering offense did in South Carolina (2-10, 0-3 SEC) in its Southeastern Conference home opener, as Mississippi (9-3, 3-0 SEC) claimed a three-set win, 25-21, 25-17, 25-18, in front of 741 fans at the Volleyball Competition Facility on Friday night.
Senior libero Hannah Lawing posted 22 digs in the contest for the Gamecocks, tops for all players. Freshman outside hitter Juliette Thévenin had 10 kills. Whitney Craven led the Rebels with 15 kills while posting a .433 hitting percentage. Emily Kvitle added 14 digs, while Morgan Springer made 12.
A pair of three-point runs gave Ole Miss the initial advantage at 10-8 and a bigger 19-14 edge. Both runs came on Miranda Kitts’ serve, with the middle blocker landing an ace to cap the final stretch. South Carolina tried to fight back, but other than back-to-back Rebel hitting errors, the Gamecocks could not sustain a run, eventually falling, 21-25. Craven had seven of her kills in the first set while adding five digs. Kvitle had five digs as well, bested only by Springer’s six.
The second set went back and forth as well until a four-point run ended at 19-14, putting the Rebels out of reach. Kitts had a kill to start the run and closed it with an ace. Craven and Regina Thomas contributed as well, as Thomas got a solo stuff in the skein. South Carolina ended the frame down 17-25 with consecutive hitting errors, dropping their hitting percentage in the set to .129 compared to .324 for Ole Miss.
Kitts handed the Rebels a 10-7 lead, as Ole Miss went on a four-point run on her serve. The Gamecocks drew to within two on five occasions, but Ashley Veach capped a three-point Mississippi string with an ace that made it 19-14 for the Rebels. Kitts’ serve stretched the lead to 22-15, all but ending the Gamecock threat. Craven concluded things at 25-18 with her sixth kill of the third set.
The Rebels won every stat category, including aces (7-1) and digs (59-42). Ole Miss also won the hitting battle (.274-.186). Lawing had over half of the Gamecocks’ digs in the contest.
The Gamecocks step out of SEC play for the last time in 2010 on Sunday when The Citadel comes to the Volleyball Competition Facility for the first time. First serve is slated for 4 p.m.
