The South Carolina volleyball team lost a conference match against No. 14 Kentucky Friday night, as the Wildcats claimed all three straight sets.
The Gamecocks got off to a quick start with a kill by graduate outside hitter Riley Whitesides to even the score 1-1 with the Wildcats. But Kentucky had multiple back-to-back kills, which ultimately kept it ahead for the whole set.
Further into the set, the Gamecocks were down 13-7, causing head coach Tom Mendoza to call a timeout.
“I didn’t think we were playing the way that we have been practicing or needed to play,” Mendoza said. “(It) wasn’t really as strategic. It wasn’t really fixing things tactically. It was just trying to get the team to perform the way we’re capable of.”
Coming out of the timeout, the Gamecocks came back and scored 2 points off a Wildcat service error and then a block by sophomore outside hitter Tireh Smith and graduate student middle blocker Ellie Ruprich.
Despite multiple comeback attempts, the Gamecocks fell short in the first set with a score of 25-18.
South Carolina started the second set by immediately gaining a point off a service error from the Wildcats. After a back-and-forth battle between the two teams, the Wildcats gained a 2-point lead over the Gamecocks until kills by Smith and Whitesides brought the score to a 5-5 tie.
As the second set went along, South Carolina committed multiple offensive errors, causing Kentucky to continue building on its lead.
Smith would eventually end an extended scoring drought for the Gamecocks with a kill assisted by junior setter Sarah Jordan, which brought the score to 18-12. Later in the set, an attacking error by the Gamecocks led to the Wildcats claiming the second set 25-18.
The Wildcats got off to a quick start for the third set, scoring 3 straight points. The Gamecocks came back quickly to tie the game with a service ace and two back-to-back attacking errors by the Wildcats. Ruprich then had two kills, which gave the Gamecocks its first lead of the set by a score of 5-3.
The Wildcats were quick to respond, though, quickly re-taking the lead over the Gamecocks — until senior middle blocker Obi Anadi landed a kill to make the game 9-9.
The Gamecocks and Wildcats were tied again at 13-13 when the Wildcats scored off of an attack going out of bounds. The Gamecocks challenged the play, saying it was in bounds. After a video review, the point was given to the Gamecocks. The play allowed South Carolina to have a 14-13 lead.
After that, the Gamecocks and Wildcats went back and forth in the lead, consistently staying within 1 or 2 points of each other. A block from Smith helped the Gamecocks get within 1 point, as the team trailed 21-20. But it was not enough as the Wildcats pulled away with a 25-22 win to clinch the victory.
Unable to finish offensively
For all three sets, the Gamecocks offense started off strong, staying within 1 or 2 points of the Wildcats, even trading off the lead in the third set. But towards the middle of all sets, the Gamecocks were unable to finish, becoming inconsistent with plays or making offensive errors.
“Offensively, it wasn’t our night. I think we need to get everybody firing and everybody hitting well in all cylinders,” Whitesides said. "People were just a little passive, not really clicking. But we’ll learn from it.”
Momentum in the final set
The third set was the closest set of the three, with the Gamecocks scoring 22 points, the team's highest total all game.
Mendoza said South Carolina's passing game during the third set was the team's best of the night, but the Gamecocks were still unable to pull away with a win.
“I think we started playing a little more complete, and unfortunately, right around 20, we stopped doing the things that made us successful,” Mendoza said.
Blocking and defensive game
The Gamecocks' defense was unable to stop the Wildcats and its strong offense, as Kentucky claimed 101 attacks to South Carolina's 94.
Ruprich was the Gamecocks' leading blocker of the night and said the team talked before the game about how they wanted to affect the Wildcats offense with its blocking. But the Gamecocks were unable to accomplish the goal, she said.
“In the past, our block has been one of our strong suits," Ruprich said. "I definitely think that fell short tonight."
What's next?
The Gamecocks will host the Tennessee Volunteers at home on Sunday. The game will be streamed on SEC Network+ and is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.