Beach Volleyball Opens Home Schedule Saturday and Sunday
The team hosts the Grand Slam Tournament; with matches at 1 and 5 p.m. each day
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina beach volleyball opens its home schedule on Saturday and Sunday, when it holds its annual Grand Slam tournament. The Gamecocks face UAB and Georgia State on Saturday at 1 and 5 p.m., respectively, and Stetson and Eastern Kentucky on Sunday at 1 and 5.
Winners of four straight, South Carolina enters the weekend at 7-5 overall and are ranked 10thin the latest coaches poll. On Tuesday, the team went to Atlanta and swept a doubleheader, earning a historic 3-2 win over No. 2 Southern Cal and following that with a 4-1 win over FGCU in the Georgia State Day of Duals. After 12-straight road duals, the Gamecocks will now have a seven-game home stand at Wheeler Beach. Through the program’s first five seasons, it has an all-time record of 42-15 in its home sand.
HOW TO GET TO WHEELER BEACH
The team’s state-of-the-art facility can be located behind the South Carolina softball stadium and Cregger Track. Fans can park in the Dodie Anderson Academic Enrichment Center’s parking garage (1300 Heyward St.) or in the parking lot off South Marion Street. Those coming from the parking garage can take the athletics village promenade down to the courts; those in the South Marion lot can enter from below the promenade.
OPPONENT PREVIEW
UAB is on a three-game win streak coming out of its March to May tournament in Gulf Shores, Ala. last Friday and Saturday. The Blazers and Gamecocks previously met on March 1 in Boca Raton, Fla., South Carolina came away with a 5-0 win. Georgia State went 1-1 at its Day of Duals event on Tuesday, fighting No. 2 Southern Cal to the end in a 4-1 loss but rallying to sweep FGCU. The Panthers are 9-5 so far this season and are ranked 18thin the country.
Leading off Sunday’s duals is Stetson, the No. 12 team in the country. The Hatters have had over a week off from competition, last competing on the West Coast March 6 and 7. Stetson (5-3) split a series with No. 8 Long Beach and beat No. 12 Loyola Marymount but ended the week with a 4-1 loss to Southern Cal. Eastern Kentucky is in its first season as a beach program, the Grand Slam weekend will be the first duals ever for the Colonels. The EKU indoor head coach, Johnna Fouch, will direct the team this season.
For updates on this weekend’s duals, follow GamecockBeachVB on Twitter.
