April 22, 2014
COLUMBIA, S.C. — In the final dual of its inaugural season, the South Carolina sand volleyball team won the last two pairs matches of the night to claim a 3-2 victory over College of Charleston on Tuesday at the Carolina Sand Volleyball Complex.
With the win, the Gamecocks finish the season with a 5-12 record. The Cougars drop to 6-5 on the year with the loss. South Carolina head coach Moritz Moritz couldn’t have been more pleased with the way his team battled to get the win.
“It’s exciting for the players and the coaching staff because it’s the establishment of our baseline now,” Moritz said. “The groundwork is being laid for continual improvement, which has been our goal all season. It’s great to end strong, but this is the first step in the direction of improvement and success for us in the future.”
The contest didn’t lack excitement, as four of the five matches went to three sets. The Gamecocks entered the No. 1 and No. 2 pairs matches trailing the Cougars 2-1 and needing to win both. Carolina’s No. 2 pair of Megan Kent and Jordan Loney gave the Gamecocks a chance, knocking off College of Charleston’s Melissa Morello and Cara Howley by the scores of 21-15 and 21-18.
The spotlight then turned to South Carolina’s top pair of Paige Wheeler and Sarah Blomgren. The Gamecock tandem dropped the first set to the Cougars’ Emily Neideffer and Darcy Dorton, 21-19 but bounced back to win set two by the score of 21-18 to force a third set. With the Gamecocks leading 10-7, Neideffer and Dorton fought back to tie the set at 10-10. The Gamecocks held a 15-14 lead late in the set, and Blomgren and Wheeler scored the next point to clinch the win for South Carolina.
In the No. 5 pairs match, South Carolina’s KoKo Atoa-Williams and Chynna Ratner took down the Cougars’ Grace Rebarchak and Kallie McKown, 21-16, 19-21 and 15-13.
The Gamecocks’ No. 4 pair of Erin Neuenfeldt and Litsa Darby took the first set from College of Charleston’s Kari Fidelholtz and Catey Warren but couldn’t hold them off in the next two sets, losing 21-18 and 15-12.
Mikaela Christiaansen and Jade Vitt took the first set in the No. 3 pairs match against the Cougars’ Sloane White and Andi Zbojiniewicz, 23-25. However, College of Charleston claimed the next two sets by the scores of 25-23 and 15-13.
In an exhibition match, South Carolina’s Morgan LaVigne and Helen Récaborde lost to College of Charleston’s Tiffany Fisher and Maddie Hills, 27-25 and 21-19.
RESULTS
South Carolina 3, College of Charleston 2
No. 1 Paige Wheeler/Sarah Blomgren (SC) def. Emily Neideffer/Darcy Dorton (CofC) 19-21, 21-18, 16-14
No. 2 Megan Kent/Jordan Loney (SC) def. Melissa Morello/Cara Howley (CofC) 21-15, 21-18
No. 3 Andi Zbojiniewicz/Sloane White (CofC) def. Mikaela Christiaansen/Jade Vitt (SC) 23-25, 25-23, 1-13
No. 4 Kari Fidelholtz/Catey Warren (CofC) def. Erin Neuenfeldt/Litsa Darby (SC) 21-23, 21-18, 15-12
No. 5 KoKo Atoa-Williams/Chynna Ratner (SC) def. Grace Rebarchak/Kallie McKown (CofC) 21-16, 19-21, 15-13
Exh. Tiffany Fisher/Maddie Hills (CofC) def. Morgan LaVigne/Helen Récaborde (SC) 27-25, 21-19
