Beach Volleyball Drops Pair of 3-2 Decisions

PHOENIX, ARIZ. – South Carolina beach volleyball began its weekend in Arizona with two losses by a 3-2 score on Friday. The Gamecocks (8-7) started the day with a loss to UTEP (10-9), then lost on the final court to No. 13 Grand Canyon (16-6) Friday night.

Rolling out a lineup of five new pairs coming out of an off weekend, the Gamecocks were undone by a slow start in the weekend opener against the Miners. UTEP jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first wave of matches, including a win in three sets on court two to deny the Gamecocks a chance to gain momentum going into the final three pairings. That win would prove key, as South Carolina was able to get wins from Jolie Cranford and Julia Waugh on court one and VB Trost and Morgan Downs on court three to get the team on the board, but it would be too late in the 3-2 final.

The dual with GCU had a similar score but a different storyline. Similar to the last meeting between the two teams at last spring’s conference tournament, the teams traded off decisions before the ‘Lopes would avenge last year’s loss with a win on court three to clinch the 3-2 victory. Four of the last five meetings in the series have now come down to just a one-point margin. The home side opened the night with a sweep on court four, but Rachel Hartmann and Riley Whitesides countered with a 24-22, 21-14 sweep on court two. GCU took the lead back with a win in straight sets on court five, but Cranford and Waugh came through again with a win on the top court to put the decision on court three. The ‘Lopes won, 21-19, 21-18 to close out the team victory.

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The Gamecocks travel to Tempe and take on Washington and Arizona State on March 29.

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