Gamecocks Lose at Georgia State, 5-0
March 11, 2014
ATLANTA, Ga. — The South Carolina sand volleyball team closed out its first-ever week of competition with a 5-0 loss to Georgia State on Tuesday night in the Diggin’ Duals at the GSU Sand Volleyball Complex.
The Gamecocks are now 2-4 on the season heading into next week’s Gamecock Invitational. Georgia State improves its record to 5-1 overall.
“Obviously, we didn’t get the results that we wanted but I think the players worked really hard and competed very well,” South Carolina head coach Moritz Moritz said. “As the process of discovering our identity evolves, we are really starting to lock in to the things that we need to work on to get better. I’m very proud of how we fought at the end of the day and the effort we put into competing over the entire week.”
South Carolina’s No. 1 pair of Sarah Blomgren and Mikaela Christiaansen took Georgia State’s top pair of Milanie Pickering and Natalie Wilson to three sets before losing by the scores of 18-21, 21-11 and 15-13.
On court No. 2, Carolina’s Paige Wheeler and Megan Kent battled with the Panthers’ Sara Olivova and Jansen but fell in two sets, 23-21 and 21-15.
In the No. 3 pairs match, Jordan Loney and Jade Vitt dropped a two-set decision to Katelyn Rawls and Sarah Agnew, 21-12 and 21-10.
The Gamecocks’ No. 4 duo of Litsa Darby and Chynna Ratner fell to Moriah Bellissimo and Katie Madewell, 21-17 and 21-13, while Carolina’s No. 5 pair of Erin Neuenfeldt and KoKo Atoa-Williams lost to Alexi Townsend and Jessica Fourspring, 21-15 and 21-18.
In an exhibition match, Georgia State’s Molly Smestad and Karlee Kavanaugh defeated the Gamecocks’ Morgan LaVigne and Haley Guyton, 21-15 and 21-10.
South Carolina will return to action on March 21-23 in the program’s first-ever home event, the Gamecock Invitational. The Gamecocks will open the weekend with a matchup against Oregon at 7 p.m.
Georgia State 5, South Carolina 0
No. 1 Milanie Pickering/Natalie Wilson (GSU) def. Sarah Blomgren/Mikaela Christiaansen (SC) 18-21, 21-11, 15-13
No. 2 Sara Olivova/Jansen Button (GSU) def. Paige Wheeler/Megan Kent (SC) 23-21, 21-15
No. 3 Katelyn Rawls/Sarah Agnew (GSU) def. Jordan Loney/Jade Vitt (SC) 21-12, 21-10
No. 4 Moriah Bellissimo/Katie Madewell (GSU) def. Litsa Darby/Chynna Ratner (SC) 21-17, 21-13
No. 5 Alexis Townsend/Jessica Fourspring (GSU) def. Erin Neuenfeldt/KoKo Atoa-Williams (SC) 21-15, 21-18
Exhibition
Molly Smestad/Karlee Kavanaugh (GSU) def. Morgan LaVigne/Haley Guyton (SC) 21-15, 21-10
