Beach Volleyball Splits Sunday Doubleheader
The team lost to No. 12 Stetson but swept EKU
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina beach volleyball split the final day of the Gamecock Grand Slam, losing to No. 12 Stetson 4-1 before returning to beat Eastern Kentucky 5-0 in the tournament finale. The team is now 10-6 for the season, with the Stetson loss being its first setback since March 2.
Similar to Saturday night against Georgia State, the Gamecocks were in a quick hole after losing both matches in the opening wave. Stetson (9-3) cruised to a straight-set win at number five, and Jess Vastine and Hannah Edelman dropped a three-set decision at the fourth pairing to give the Hatters a 2-0 lead.
Lydia Dimke and Katie Smith put the team’s first and ultimately only point on the board with a 21-12, 21-15 win at the twos, but Stetson clinched the dual win with a 21-13, 23-21 win at the number one pairing. It would wrap up the dual with another three-set decision, taking the match on court three by a score of 17-21, 23-21, 15-12.
The team rallied back to close the weekend with an emphatic 5-0 win over EKU. It was the Colonels first tournament as a beach program, and the Gamecocks made short work of them on all five courts. South Carolina allowed EKU to reach double-digits in points in just one set total, with Dimke and Smith clinching the win in the twos with a 21-5, 21-7 win.
Next up for the team will be a Tuesday evening dual with Morehead State. First serve with the Eagles is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Wheeler Beach.
RESULTS
#12 Stetson 4, #10 South Carolina 1
1. Carly Perales/S. Helland-Hansen (STET) def. Shannon Williams/Cadie Bates (SC) 21-13, 23-21
2. Lydia Dimke/Katie Smith (SC) def. Darby Dunn/Sammee Thomas (STET) 21-12, 21-15
3. Rachel Noble/Ana Costa (STET) def. Carly Schnieder/Franky Harrison (SC) 17-21, 23-21, 18-16
4. Samantha Harris/Julie Varga (STET) def. Jess Vastine/Hannah Edelman (SC) 24-22, 19-21, 15-12
5. Quinci Birker/Rebecca Ingram (STET) def. Whitley Ballard/Caroline Skaff (SC) 21-15, 21-9
Ext. Lauryn Gillis/Quinn Fulton (SC) def. Alexa Richardson/Yasmin Kuck (STET) 18-21, 21-17, 15-13
Order of finish: 5,4,2,1*,3
#10 South Carolina 5, Eastern Kentucky 0
1. Shannon Williams/Cadie Bates (SC) def. Sydney Schoen/K. Caserma-Kloeble (EKU) 21-6, 21-6
2. Katie Smith/Lydia Dimke (SC) def. Jovana Bulatovic/Dena Tekavec (EKU) 21-5, 21-7
3. Carly Schnieder/Franky Harrison (SC) def. Kennedy Wilson/Rachel Woody (EKU) 21-7, 21-2
4. Hannah Edelman/Jess Vastine (SC) def. Kaylin Johnson/Maria Ferragonio (EKU) 21-4, 21-3
5. Quinn Fulton/Lauryn Gillis (SC) def. Annie Cvelbar/Clairissa Hankinson (EKU) 21-10, 21-3
Ext. Caroline Skaff/Whitley Ballard (SC) def. Mikayla Logan/Natalie Burchesky (EKU) 21-5, 21-8
Order of finish: 4,5,2*,1,3
