Alabama
South Carolina
Volleyball Drops Match to South Carolina
11/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 21, 2008
COLUMBIA, S.C. - The volleyball team (15-12, 8-10 SEC) suffered a 3-0 loss Friday at South Carolina (20-8, 11-7 SEC) in the Volleyball Competition Facility. The Gamecocks won the first set 25-14 and outlasted Alabama in the second 33-31. In the third, the Gamecocks took the 25-21 edge to win the match.
"I thought we started the match out slow, but I am proud of the way responded and played in sets two and three," said Head Coach Judy Green. I thought we were very competitive in those sets; however we did make some untimely errors. We could have easily won either one of those sets."
Alabama was led on offense by junior Brooks Webster, who had a match-high 17 kills while hitting .421 percent from the court. Freshman Stephanie Riley was the Tide's leading ball distributer with 34 assists, and senior Amy Pauly topped the team with 11 digs.
South Carolina jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead in the first. The Tide brought it to within one point on the next play, but the Gamecocks distanced themselves over the next several minutes behind an 8-1 run leaving little room for a comeback.
In the second, South Carolina jumped out to an early 7-3 lead, but Alabama scored four consecutive points to tie the score at 7-7. The duration of the set was close with neither team taking more than a two-point edge. There were 19 ties and five lead changes down the stretch. Back-to-back points for the Gamecocks' Hannah Lawing, first a kill then a block, awarded the set to the home team.
The third set picked up right where the second left off. The Tide put up the first two points, but South Carolina tied it up with consecutive kills. The Gamecocks took the lead at 4-3 and earned their largest lead going up by four points at 11-7. Alabama challenged, going on a 12-8 run to tie the score at 19-19, and once more at 20-20, but South Carolina held on to win the set and the match.
"I have to give South Carolina credit," added Green. "They took advantage of some of our defensive alignments and played like a team hungry to get into the NCAA Tournament. For the, Tide we need to regroup and serve and pass the ball better at Florida on Sunday."
Alabama continues its road trip Sunday with the Tide's final away match of the 2008 SEC season when it travels to No. 14 Florida. Match time is set for 12:30 p.m. (CST).
