Gamecocks Roll Albany in Weekend Finale

ORLANDO, FLA. – South Carolina rolled to a sweep of Albany (1-5) on Sunday afternoon to close out its weekend at the UCF Challenge, not trailing once in a 25-15, 25-18, 25-8 decision. The Gamecocks move back to .500 for the year, at 3-3, and return home Tuesday night against Charlotte in the Carolina Volleyball Center.
 
SET ONE: After finishing with its highest block total in over a decade on Saturday against Kansas, the Gamecock defense remained stout on Sunday in the opening game. Along with six blocks, the defense allowed just eight kills from Albany and used a 10-1 run early to turn a 6-4 score into a 16-5 advantage on the way to a 10-point margin of victory. 
 
SET TWO: The Gamecocks put away a match-high 14 kills in the second set, with Mikayla Shields, Mikayla Robinson and Claire Edwards each putting away three to guide the offense. Albany hit .075 for the game, which actually would stand as its highest percentage of the match, and South Carolina took a 2-0 lead on a wire-to-wire 25-18 win.
 
SET THREE: South Carolina scored in every facet of the game to close out the sweep, winning 25-8 for the widest margin of victory in three years. The Gamecocks finished with four blocks and four aces in the set, holding Albany to a negative hitting percentage while the offense churned out 12 kills on just 16 swings. The team built a 12-1 lead from the first serve and never looked back.  
 
NOTABLE

• Addie Bryant and Jess Vastine represented the Gamecocks on the all-tournament team. Vastine finished with 26 kills and 25 digs over the 10 sets played; Bryant had 44 digs as the team’s libero, and also pitched in 14 assists.
• With eight more blocks Sunday, Claire Edwards finished the tournament with 17 total blocks over 10 sets.
• Albany’s eight points in the third set was the lowest total allowed by South Carolina since 2016, when it held Buffalo to seven points.
• The defense also limited the Great Danes to a .022 hitting percentage, the lowest by a Gamecock opponent since 2016 when Gardner-Webb hit .013.
• Gabby Brown and McKenzie Moorman saw action and the two freshmen recorded their first collegiate kills.

QUOTABLE: HEAD COACH TOM MENDOZA

 
NEXT UP: South Carolina’s stretch of six matches in seven days continues on Tuesday, when the team hosts Charlotte for the 2019 home opener. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Carolina Volleyball Center, tickets are still available.