Gamecocks Rally to Beat Oklahoma in Four Sets

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina rallied back from an opening-set loss to defeat Oklahoma (8-7, 2-4 SEC) in four sets on Sunday afternoon. The Gamecocks (11-6, 2-4 SEC) turned the tide behind the service line, taking advantage of an error-prone Sooner squad to win decisive second and third sets and hold on to close out in the fourth. Riley Whitesides led the team with 19 kills, with Tireh Smith providing big swings late on the way to 12 kills on a .476 hitting percentage.

1st SET: The opening game was an absolute shootout, the two teams combined for just 17 total digs, Oklahoma took it by a 25-22 score behind 17 kills and a team hitting percentage of .536. South Carolina was efficient, hitting .320, but were not able to keep the torrid pace of the Sooners, who were only truly slowed by their six service errors. A back-and-forth start started to lean Oklahoma midway through the set, South Carolina held a 13-9 lead at the first break but it would be all Sooners after with a 6-1 run giving the visitors their first lead. Neither team could maintain a meaningful advantage until Oklahoma ran off five unanswered points late to turn a 21-19 South Carolina lead into its first set-point opportunity at 24-21.

2nd SET: South Carolina shored up its game plan behind the service line and quieted the Sooner attack in set two. Oklahoma hit almost .500 points lower from its performance in the first, going from .536 to just .074 and 10 kills in a 25-13 loss to even the match. The Gamecocks only needed nine kills to get the win, relying on five more Sooner service errors and a game-high four blocks by their defense. Freshman Victoria Harris took over serving duties in a 5-3 Gamecock lead early and helped the team reel off eight points in a row to put the set out of reach, Oklahoma committed seven unforced errors in that stretch and would get no closer than eight points the rest of the way.

3rd SET: Errors continued to haunt Oklahoma in the third, the visitors hit .065 with just nine kills compared to seven errors and the Gamecocks won 25-17 for the 2-1 advantage. South Carolina’s offense had to manage through five blocks by the Sooners in set three, but had four different players go for multiple kills and the 1-2 punch of Whitesides and Smith combined for 10 of the team’s 15 kills. Another strong start made the difference, Alayna Johnson dropped in an ace during a 4-0 run to get the team ahead 5-2 early and the advantage would soon balloon up to six points thanks to a Smith kill out of TV timeout made it 16-10.

4th SET: Oklahoma cleaned up its offense to bring the fireworks again in set four, but South Carolina would match their efforts and closed out the win with a thrilling 25-23 victory. Oby Anadi stepped up for her best set of the day, converting six swings into five kills. Whitesides provided the winning point of the match on her seventh kill of the set to push her game total to 19, but it would take a late rally for the Gamecocks to have the chance at winning in four. An early 5-1 run swung the score in Oklahoma’s favor and it would hold the advantage until the game would push into the 20s. South Carolina won a key challenge to turn what would’ve been a 22-20 Sooner lead into a 21-all tie. Whitesides provided the team’s final three points via kills.

NOTABLE

• The Gamecocks were 0-6 this season when losing the first set before Sunday’s rally. Including the 2023 season, South Carolina had lost 18 games in a row when losing the opening set. It’s last win after dropping the first frame was Sept. 8 of last season, at Cincinnati.
• Oklahoma’s 15 service errors are the most by a Gamecock opponent so far this season. South Carolina’s eight service aces are the most by the team in SEC play and is one off the season high of nine (vs. Stetson).
• Oby Anadi hit .600 with seven kills in the win; in the 13 matches where the senior has 10 or more total attacks, she is hitting .500 or better six times.
• Anadi also led the team with four total blocks (two solo) and moved into the program’s all-time top 10 for career solo blocks (with 64), surpassing Lorri Anderson (1984-85).
• Tireh Smith rebounded from an off night against Ole Miss, hitting .476 with 12 kills against the Sooners. The sophomore is hitting .330 with 2.67 kills per set through the first six matches of SEC play.
• With a game-high 19 kills Sunday, Riley Whitesides now has 15 or more kills in 10 of the team’s 17 games.

QUOTABLE: TOM MENDOZA

UP NEXT: South Carolina’s home stand continues a week from Sunday, Oct. 27 with an afternoon matchup with Auburn. The Gamecocks will celebrate senior day prior to the match, recognizing seniors Oby Anadi, Morgan Carter and Claire Wilson along with five-year graduates Ellie Ruprich and Riley Whitesides.