Beach Volleyball Wins Two Friday
The Gamecocks are on a four-game winning streak
CONWAY, S.C. – South Carolina ran its win streak to four games with a pair of wins Friday to open competition at Coastal Carolina. The Gamecocks (15-8) swept Mercer, 5-0, then returned to take down the host Chanticleers by a 4-1 margin.
The morning win was decisive, with sweeps on all five courts with the Gamecocks only allowing the Bears to break 14 points in two sets total. Against Coastal Carolina, though, it would be a tougher trek as the team brought out three new pairs due to an injury in the morning dual with Mercer. In the opening wave with the fours and fives pairings, South Carolina would strike first with a sweep at court four from Alyssa Keller and Sammy Ansel, 21-13, 21-16. The win was Ansel’s first collegiate victory. The Gamecock duo of Hailey Cabeceiras and Jillian Gleason lost their first set on court five, but rallied for a 21-15, 15-11 comeback to give the team a 2-0 lead.
It appeared early that South Carolina would make short work of it, winning the first set on courts one and three, but Coastal Carolina ripped the momentum back by forcing a third set on both courts as well as getting a win in the first set on court two. Skylar Allen and Jordan Smith were able to put any comeback homes to rest for the Chanticleers, dominating their third set on court one, 15-8, to clinch the team victory with the 3-0 margin. Abby Carroll and Lauren Wilcock followed close behind with a 15-9 win on court three, and Kaeli Crews and Hannah Mackenhausen would force a third set in the match on court two before falling for Coastal’s lone point in the dual.
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UP NEXT
The Gamecocks have two more duals on Saturday, both are rematches from earlier this spring. First up is a 10 a.m. game against College of Charleston, followed by a 2 p.m. finale versus UNCW.
RESULTS
No. 18 South Carolina 5, Mercer 0
1. Skylar Allen/Whitley Ballard (SC) def. Olivia Boeve/Lexi Polychrones (MER) 21-11, 21-16
2. Jordan Smith/Lauren Wilcock (SC) def. Nicole O’Mara/Sydney Benson (MER) 21-12, 21-8
3. Kaeli Crews/Hannah Mackenhausen (SC) def. Jordan Paddock/Reese Hood (MER) 21-18, 21-13
4. Abby Carroll/Alyssa Keller (SC) def. Ellie Miller/Alyssa Scoggins (MER) 21-11, 21-9
5. Hailey Cabeceiras/Jillian Gleason (SC) def. Kathryn Corbett/Jordan Morris (MER) 21-11, 21-8
Ext. Nicole Deobler/Chase Teal (SC) def. Elena Sanfrey/Emily Leonard (MER) 21-12, 21-12
Order of Finish: 5,4,2*,1,3
*-Deciding Point
No. 18 South Carolina 4, Coastal Carolina 1
1. Skylar Allen/Jordan Smith (SC) def. Kragholm, Martine/Riedell, Sarah (CCU) 21-12, 18-21, 15-8
2. Drobnjak, Irena/Hanford, Ellie (CCU) def. Kaeli Crews/Hannah Mackenhausen (SC) 21-16, 17-21, 15-8
3. Lauren Wilcock/Abby Carroll (SC) def. Honzovicova, Natalie/Lichty, Madie (CCU) 21-19, 15-21, 15-9
4. Alyssa Keller/Sammy Ansel (SC) def. Ginther, Carli/Ehlers, Raychel (CCU) 21-13, 21-16
5. Jillian Gleason/Hailey Cabeceiras (SC) def. Gonzalez, Emma/Allred, Madison (CCU) 16-21, 21-15, 15-11
Order of finish: 4,5,1*,3,2
