No. 20 Beach Volleyball Picks Up Two Wins on First Day of Carolina Challenge

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The No. 20 South Carolina beach volleyball team captured two wins on the first day of the Carolina Challenge at Wheeler Beach. The Gamecocks scored three straight points in the 3-2 comeback victory over the Broncos and defeated the College of Charleston Cougars 4-1.

The Gamecocks claimed an early advantage with first-set wins from pairs four and six. Evie Ziffer and Julia Waugh bounced back from dropping their first frame on court one by picking up the second, 21-14. Ziffer and Waugh fought hard all the way to the end, but Boise State was able to win the first point of the day, taking the set, 17-15. The Gamecocks dropped weren’t able to hold on to a third-set comeback from pair four. Boise State took a 2-0 overall match lead after claiming an 18-21, 21-15, 15-12 win from the fourth position.

In the second wave, VB Trost and Grace Travis started off hot with a 21-19 first-frame win. The South Carolina duo followed up with a dominating 21-10 win to get the Gamecocks on the board. Over on court two, the duo of Peyton Yamagata and Jolie Cranford tied things up for the Gamecocks after a dominating 21-17, 21-15 win. Rachel Hartmann and Brooke Balue didn’t let a first-set loss rattle them, as they came back to force a third. The fight didn’t end there as the pair sealed the comeback victory with a 15-12 win.

Against College of Charleston, Ziffer and Waugh returned to the second position where they took a 1-0 lead over the Cougars after a 21-15 first set win. Juju Quintero and Annalyse Askew followed suit, sweeping their opponent and giving the Gamecocks a 2-0 lead in the dual.

Heading into the second wave, all three pairs grabbed first-set wins, highlighted by a strong 21-11 win by Balue and Hartmann. The pair would go on to claim their court in dominating fashion, notching a 21-10 second-set score. Cranford and Yamagata picked up another point for South Carolina on court two, earning a 21-15, 21-12 victory. Trost and Travis had to battle in a third set after dropping the second 21-16. Despite being down 12-6, Trost and Travis tied it up at 14-14. Both teams went back and forth until the Cougars ran away with a 26-24 win.

No. 20 South Carolina 3, Boise State 2

1. Brooke Balue/Rachel Hartmann (SC) vs. Ava Anderson/Addison Wolden (BSU) 17-21, 21-18, 15-12
2. Allyson Alden/Serena van der Made (BSU) def. Evie Ziffer/Julia Waugh (SC) 25-21, 14-21, 17-15
3. Jolie Cranford/Peyton Yamagata (SC) def. Keira Demirjian/Avery Allen (BSU) 21-17, 21-15
4. Addison Moss/Elli Wolthuis (BSU) def. Juju Quintero/Annalyse Askew (SC) 21-18, 15-21, 15-12
5. VB Trost/Grace Travis (SC) def. Avery Bowidowicz/Lily Patock (BSU) 21-19, 21-10
6. Amelia Taft/Morgan Downs (SC) def. Charlee Ellena/Luna Ingaramo (BSU) 21-16, 21-12

No. 20 South Carolina 4, Charleston 1

1. Brooke Balue/Rachel Hartmann (SC) vs. Elizabeth Curry/Cassie Thayse (CofC) 21-11, 21-10
2. Evie Ziffer/Julia Waugh (SC) def. Paige Clark/Holly Hopkins (CofC) 21-15, 21-10
3. Jolie Cranford/Peyton Yamagata (SC) vs. Ella Duffner/Alivia Newberg (CofC) 21-15, 21-12
4. Juju Quintero/Annalyse Askew (SC) def. Sophie Sageer/Madison Loving (CofC) 21-13, 21-13
5. Fiona North/Grace Toscano (CofC) def. VB Trost/Grace Travis (SC) 15-21, 21-16, 26-24
6. Lauren Lawson/Sadie Nelson (SC) def. Gabby Carr/Harleigh King (CofC) 21-11, 21-13