Fourth Set Comeback Efforts Fall Short as Gamecocks Drop Match at USF
TAMPA, Fla. – The South Carolina Volleyball team (3-3) rounded out its weekend in Florida with a Sunday afternoon match against USF (2-3). The Gamecocks started off hot, claiming the first set before the Bulls rallied back for the next two sets to force a fourth frame. The Garnet & Black stepped on the gas in the fourth, fighting to keep a lead but narrowly fell by two.
Alayna Johnson led the offense with a season-high 16 kills, one shy of her career best, and was the only Gamecock to reach double figures. Sarah Jordan also had a standout performance, dishing out a career-best 36 assists—more than double her previous season high.
The Gamecocks matched USF in total attempts (125) but were outpaced in every category except service aces, where they held an 8-7 edge. The biggest gap came in kills, with the Bulls tallying 60 to South Carolina’s 47, as the Gamecocks were limited to a .192 hitting percentage.
1st Set: Both teams traded points early before South Carolina used a 4-0 run, fueled by USF errors and a pair of kills, to take a 14-9 lead. The Gamecocks maintained control the rest of the way, and a Bulls service error secured a 25-20 win.
2nd Set: South Carolina opened with a 4-0 run, highlighted by kills from Johnson and Elise Marchal and an ace from Victoria Harris. USF responded with back-to-back aces during a 3-0 surge to pull ahead, eventually building a 14-10 lead. The Gamecocks closed the gap to one several times, including on a Johnson kill to tie it at 23-all, but the Bulls closed on a 2-0 run to even the match with a 25-23 win.
3rd Set: USF took control early, turning a 6-4 edge into a 15-4 lead with an 11-0 run that combined kills and South Carolina attack errors. The Bulls held a gap of nine or more points the rest of the frame. When the Bulls reached set point a late block from Emily Beeker and kill from Marchal kept the Gamecocks alive briefly, but USF sealed the set 25-16 to move ahead 2-1.
4th Set: South Carolina regained its rhythm early in the set behind back-to-back aces from Elizabeth McElveen, part of a 7-1 run that pushed the lead to 9-4. USF quickly responded and kept the set close, with neither team leading by more than three. Three challenges in the late stages shifted momentum—two in favor of USF and one for South Carolina. A Bulls challenge gave them a 20-19 edge, and they maintained a narrow lead until Johnson’s 16th kill of the game tied it at 24-24. After an unsuccessful USF challenge left the score knotted at 25, the Bulls capitalized on a Gamecock error and closed with a kill to take the set 27-25 and the match 3-1.
Notables
- Laiya Ebo notched her first kill of the season and as a Gamecock in the third set
- Emily Beeker had a season high six kills in addition to three block assists and one solo block
- Alayna Johnson reached a new season high 16 kills
- Sarah Jordan had a season high 36 assists
- Elizabeth McElveen hit four aces for a career high
- Victoria Harris led the defense with eight digs
Up Next: The Gamecocks hit the road once more before a stretch of home games, traveling to NC State on Wednesday, Sept. 10 for the Showdown at the Net match at 6:00 p.m. Fans can stream the game on ACC Network.
