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Gamecocks Wrap Up Non-Conference Play Against ETSU and Virginia Tech
Women's Volleyball  . 

Gamecocks Wrap Up Non-Conference Play Against ETSU and Virginia Tech

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina volleyball team (6-2, 0-0 SEC) wraps up non-conference play this week, splitting away and home matches. The Gamecocks first travel to ETSU (1-7, 0-0 SoCon) for a 6:00 p.m. match on Tuesday, Sept. 15 before returning home to face their third ACC opponent of the season, Virginia Tech (3-5, 0-0 ACC), for another 6:00 p.m. match on Friday, Sept. 18.

Live streaming for the ETSU match will be on ESPN+ while the Virginia Tech match is slated to appear on SEC Network+. Live scoring for both matches will be on StatBroadcast. Links for each can be found on the schedule page. Fan can also follow along on social media through @GamecockVolley on X and @GamecockVB on Instagram.

MATCH DAY INFO

Tickets to the Virginia Tech match can be purchased here. Admission for students is free. The theme of the match is “Cola Night”, and the first 100 fans receive free Columbia themed flags. There will also be a family weekend discount for tickets; those who purchased family weekend tickets to the football game can show their wristbands at the door of the volleyball game and get a discounted rate of $4.

LAST WE SAW THEM

The Gamecocks went 2-0 on their South Carolina road trip last week, defeating Clemson 3-1 to claim a point in the Palmetto Series before beating Wofford the following day by the same margin. Several players set career and season highs across both matches.

WEEK FOUR NOTABLES

  • After narrowly falling 3-2 to the Tigers in CVC last season, the Gamecocks successfully returned the favor last week, defeating Clemson 3-1 on the road. With the win, South Carolina currently leads the 2026 Palmetto Series 3-0.
  • Senior Ava Leahy led the charge offensively, notching a season high 18 kills, alongside Kiana Dinn who tallied a career high 42 assists.
  • Three additional players had 11 or more kills; Ceci Vance (13), Olivia Borgman (12) and Elise Marchal (11).
  • Two players had double-doubles; Dinn (42 assists and 10 digs) and Borgman (12 kills and 12 digs).
  • Lilly Gillespie led the backline with a season high 23 digs.
  • The Gamecocks put up 12 blocks against the Tigers, the third best mark this season so far.
  • South Carolina had a quick turnaround, facing Wofford the following day, but pulled off a commanding 3-1 win to make it a perfect 2-0 road trip.
  • The offense continued to shine, with three players earning 15 or more kills, again led by Leahy with 17. Vance and Marchal notched 15 apiece.
  • Marchal claimed the third double-double of the week, adding 14 digs.
  • Dinn continued to shine as she was only one off her career high set the previous day, guiding the offense with 41 assists against the Terriers.
  • Three players are currently hitting above .300; Sydney Davis (.375), Leahy (.394) and Marchal (.320).
  • Davis leads the team with 1.45 blocks per set which ranks third in the SEC. Gillespie also sits atop the conference rankings, coming in at second with 4.70 digs per set.

SCOUTING THE BUCCANEERS

ETSU earned its first win of the season last week after opening the 2026 campaign 0-6, defeating East Carolina 3-2. The Gamecocks will be the second SEC opponent that the Bucs face as they fell to Auburn 3-1 in their opening tournament. ETSU went 15-1 in conference play last season and made a significant run in the SoCon Tournament, advancing to the finals before narrowly losing the conference title to Wofford in a 3-2 showing. This season Makayla Bays leads the offensive with 107 kills (3.06 per set) and 13 aces alongside Alex Kreutzmann with 162 assists (4.63 per set). Defensively, Gianna Blair leads with 36.0 blocks (1.13 per set) while Melanie Morris has 110 digs (3.14 per set). The Bucs were picked first in the 2026 Southern Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll while Bays was selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team after a successful 2025 season where she was named SoCon Player of the Year, 2x SoCon Offensive Player of the Week and All-SoCon First Team member. The Gamecocks lead the all-time series 6-3, last defeating ETSU 3-0 to open the 2026 season in CVC for Sarah Rumely Noble’s first win as South Carolina head coach.

SCOUTING THE HOKIES

Virginia Tech is 3-5 this season, most recently coming off of a 3-1 loss to LIU at the Northwestern Invitational. Reese Hazelton has tallied a team-leading 101 kills (3.37 per set) this season to lead the offense, supported by Camilla Brandalise with 197 assists (6.57 per set). Ivy Cooper’s 144 digs (4.80 per set) guide the defense alongside Isabella Mishler with 41 blocks (1.37 per set). The Hokies went 12-19 overall last season with a 4-16 ACC standing. The team was picked to finish 18th in the 2026 Preseason Coaches’ Poll. South Carolina leads the series record 13-1 against Virginia Tech though the Gamecocks have not faced the Hokies in over two decades, but the two programs frequently played each other from 1981-1999. In the last matchup in 1999, South Carolina won 3-1 in Columbia.

For continued updates on the team, follow Gamecockvolley on X/Twitter and GamecockVB on Instagram.

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