Borgman’s Double-Double Leads Gamecocks to 3-1 Win Over Troy

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina volleyball team (4-1, 0-0 SEC) got back in the win column on Sunday afternoon with a 3-1 victory over Troy (2-2, 0-0 Sun Belt) in the Carolina Volleyball Center. 

South Carolina showcased its offensive depth with seven different players tallying at least two kills, led by Olivia Borgman with 17. Three of those Gamecocks hit .385 or better. The team had strong defensive presence with 10 players dishing out at least one dig which included Borgman with 10 total, marking the team’s first double-double of the season. Five different players also had two or more blocks.

1st SET: The first set featured back-and-forth action early on between the two teams, knotted up at 9-9, behind three kills from Olivia Borgman. The Gamecocks eventually jumped ahead through kills from Borgman and Ally Cavanaugh, riding on a 5-0 run. Borgman delivered a service ace while Cavanaugh added two more kills, putting the Gamecocks up 20-12 following another run. The Trojans were unable to rally, as South Carolina maintained their seven-point lead.The Gamecocks ultimately clinched the first set 25-17, with Borgman recording seven kills on 13 attempts.

2nd SET: South Carolina opened the second set with a pair of kills from Borgman and Ava Leahy, followed by two attack errors by the Trojans to grab an early 4-1 lead. Troy battled to within one before South Carolina scored five of the next seven points, sparked by a kill from sophomore Ceci Vance. Leahy’s kill would then lead a three-point run which included a service ace from Borgman which pushed the Gamecocks to a 16-11 lead. Troy remained within striking distance, fighting back to within three, trailing 19-16. The Gamecocks wrapped up the set in a 25-16 victory, hitting .345 for the set. Borgman and Leahy had four kills apiece. 

3rd SET: The two sides traded points to begin the third set, with Vance tallying a pair of kills. Troy pulled away to a 12-6 lead following a six-point run, before their momentum was broken by a service error. Borgman and redshirt freshman Sydney Davis notched back-to-back kills as the Gamecocks continued to rally. Troy extended their lead to 15-11 before kills from Leahy and Cavanaugh brought the Gamecocks within one. A kill from Madisyn Crnjac tied the match at 16-16, before the teams continued to trade points. The Gamecocks gained control behind four unanswered points, earning their first lead of the set at 22-19. Troy regained their lead behind five consecutive points, reaching set point at 24-22. A kill from Elise Marchal could not overturn the deficit, with the Trojans winning the set 25-23.

4th SET: The Gamecocks gained a 7-3 lead to open the fourth set following three consecutive kills. The Trojans answered with two kills of their own but were repelled by South Carolina, as Crnjac and Davis recorded kills to give the Gamecocks a 13-7 lead. A series of statement blocks from Leahy and Marchal helped keep the Trojans at bay, extending the lead to seven. The Gamecocks continued to hold onto their lead, with Davis’s fifth kill of the match giving South Carolina a 22-15 edge. A late Troy rally reduced the Gamecock lead to four, but a service error and commanding block by Davis snapped their streak. Marchal delivered her eighth kill to earn a 25-19 set victory for South Carolina, securing the 4-1 win.

Notables 

• Borgman recorded 17 kills, followed by Leahy with 9 and Marchal with 8. Two more Gamecocks recorded five or more kills, with Cavanaugh (7) and Davis (5).
• Borgman earned the team’s first double-double of the season adding 10 digs to her 17 kills.
• Gillespie tallied 20 digs, one short of her season-high against Michigan.
• Kiana Dinn led the team with 28 assists, followed by Kaia Pixler with 17.
• The team had 13 total blocks, led by Sydney Davis with 8.
• Four players hit .385 or better; Borgman (.424), Leahy (.444), Cavanaugh (.385), Davis (.385).

Up Next: The Gamecocks remain home, welcoming Cal for the SEC/ACC Challenge on Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m.