Gamecocks Fall in CCSA Tournament Semifinal
April 22, 2018
EMERSON, GA. – South Carolina beach volleyball’s run in the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association’s conference tournament ended on Sunday morning. The ninth-ranked Gamecocks dropped a 4-1 decision to No. 8 LSU (26-11) in the semifinal round, closing their record at 24-7 with a potential bid to the NCAA tournament still possible.
The Tigers took control early with decisive wins on four courts in the opening sets. Though Carolina battled back at the start of their second sets, LSU would pull away for the clinching win at the number four pairing. South Carolina’s Ali Denney and Shannon Williams provided the team’s point in the dual, getting a 21-17, 21-18 win over LSU’s Haleigh Nelson and Mandi Orellana.
NOTABLE
- Denney and Williams were named to the all-tournament team after finishing the weekend with a 5-0 record at the number two position.
- The Denney/Williams pair also moved into the top 10 for most wins by a Gamecock pair in a single season, with 19.
- Along with setting the program record for wins yesterday, with 24, the team also locked in its highest win percentage in program history. It’s .774 percentage bests last year’s mark of .676 (23-11).
UP NEXT
The team will now await selection Sunday for the NCAA tournament, set for April 29. The tournament will feature three teams from the west region, three from the east, and two at-large bids. The Gamecocks earned the east region’s number three seed last season for its first trip ever to the national tournament at Gulf Shores, Ala. Stay tuned to GamecocksOnline.com for more information.
