Gamecocks Finish Strong at FSU Pairs Challenge

April 19, 2014

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The South Carolina sand volleyball team built some momentum heading into its final dual of the season on Saturday as it earned 10 wins at the Florida State Pairs Challenge in pool play at the FSU Sand Volleyball Complex.

The Gamecocks, who close out the season on Tuesday at home against College of Charleston, finished third in the Team Cup standings with a total of 33 points. Fourth-ranked Florida State won with 53 points, while No. 10 Georgia State (45) and ULM (31) finish second and fourth, respectively.

“Today was a great day for everybody,” South Carolina assistant coach and recruiting coordinator RJ Abella said. “We hope to build on it and finish the season strong on Tuesday. We have a lot of momentum going our way right now. The girls have been improving throughout the season. I’m bummed the season is ending because we have so much going for us right now. We hope to cap it off with a win on Tuesday against College of Charleston.”

Two South Carolina pairs went 3-0 in their respective pools on Saturday. The Gamecocks’ No. 3 pair of Mikaela Christiaansen and Jade Vitt won the Bronze Pool with three wins, while the No. 4 pair of Litsa Darby and Erin Neuenfeldt won all three of its matches in Pool A.

Christiaansen and Vitt began their day against ULM’s No. 2 pair of Michelle McNamee and Bianca Ocana and came away with a win in three sets by the scores of 21-16, 21-23 and 15-13. In their second match of the day, Christiaansen and Vitt took down Georgia State’s No. 3 pair of Katelyn Rawls and Sarah Agnew in two sets, 21-18 and 21-18. To close out their day, Christiaansen and Vitt faced Carolina teammates Megan Kent and Jordan Loney and clinched first place in the Bronze Pool with a two-set win by the scores of 21-10 and 21-17.

In Pool A, Darby and Neuenfeldt opened play early in the morning against the Warhawks’ No. 5 pair of Celine Flores and Kaitlyn Shearer. After splitting the first two sets 15-21 and 21-14, the Gamecock duo rolled to a 15-8 victory in the third set to win the match. Darby and Neuenfeldt squared off with the South Carolina No. 6 pair of Morgan LaVigne and Helen Récaborde in their next match and moved to 2-0 on the day, winning by the scores of 18-21, 21-14 and 15-4. They wrapped up the day with a straight-set win over ULM’s No. 4 pair of Alannah Cullum and Rachel Arnason by the scores of 21-13 and 21-17.

South Carolina’s No. 5 pair of KoKo Atoa-Williams and Chynna Ratner earned two wins in Pool AA. They knocked off Georgia State’s No. 6 pair of Karlee Kavanaugh and Alexis Elmurr, 21-19 and 21-19, and topped Georgia State’s No. 7 pair of Jessica Fourspring and Molly Smestad in their last match of the day, 21-14 and 21-18.

Kent and Loney picked up a win for the Gamecocks in their second match of the day, defeating the Warhawks’ No. 2 pair of McNamee and Ocana by the scores of 19-21, 21-19 and 15-13.

The Gamecocks’ No. 6 pair of LaVigne and Récaborde concluded the event with a win over ULM’s No. 5 pair of Flores and Shearer by the scores of 22-20 and 28-26.

South Carolina will close out its inaugural season at home on Tuesday against College of Charleston. First serve is set for 5 p.m. at the Carolina Sand Volleyball Complex.

Florida State Pairs Challenge
Pool Play Results
Silver Pool
Katie Madewell/Moriah Bellissimo (GSU) def. Paige Wheeler/Sarah Blomgren (SC) 21-16, 21-18
Sara Olivova/Jansen Button (GSU) def. Paige Wheeler/Sarah Blomgren (SC) 21-13, 21-14
Hadley Swartz/Hope Pawlik (ULM) def. Paige Wheeler/Sarah Blomgren (SC) 15-21, 21-15, 15-8

Bronze Pool
Katelyn Rawls/Sarah Agnew (GSU) def. Megan Kent/Jordan Loney (SC) 21-19, 21-15
Megan Kent/Jordan Loney (SC) def. Michelle McNamee/Bianca Ocana (ULM) 19-21, 21-19, 15-13
Mikaela Christiaansen/Jade Vitt (SC) def. Megan Kent/Jordan Loney (SC) 21-10, 21-17

Mikaela Christiaansen/Jade Vitt (SC) def. Michelle McNamee/Bianca Ocana (ULM) 21-16, 21-23, 15-13
Mikaela Christiaansen/Jade Vitt (SC) def. Katelyn Rawls/Sarah Agnew (GSU) 21-18, 21-18
Mikaela Christiaansen/Jade Vitt (SC) def. Megan Kent/Jordan Loney (SC) 21-10, 21-17

Pool AA
KoKo Atoa-Williams/Chynna Ratner (SC) def. Karlee Kavanaugh/Alexis Elmurr (GSU) 21-19, 21-19
Milani Pickering/Natalie Wilson (GSU) def. KoKo Atoa-Williams/Chynna Ratner (SC) 21-12, 21-12
KoKo Atoa-Williams/Chynna Ratner (SC) def. Jessica Fourspring/Molly Smestad (GSU) 21-14, 21-18

Pool A
Litsa Darby/Erin Neuenfeldt (SC) def. Celine Flores/Kaitlyn Shearer (ULM) 15-21, 21-14, 15-8
Litsa Darby/Erin Neuenfeldt (SC) def. Morgan LaVigne/Helen Récaborde (SC) 18-21, 21-14, 15-4
Litsa Darby/Erin Neuenfeldt (SC) def. Alannah Cullum/Rachel Arnason (ULM) 21-13, 21-17

Alannah Cullum/Rachel Arnason (ULM) def. Morgan LaVigne/Helen Récaborde (SC) 21-14, 21-18
Litsa Darby/Erin Neuenfeldt (SC) def. Morgan LaVigne/Helen Récaborde (SC) 18-21, 21-14, 15-4
Morgan LaVigne/Helen Récaborde (SC) def. Celine Flores/Kaitlyn Shearer (ULM) 22-20, 28-26