JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - East Tennessee State University's volleyball team took a commanding 3-2 win over South Carolina on Tuesday at Brooks Gym.
This marks East Tennessee's first win over a Southeastern Conference opponent since its 3-2 decision over Tennessee, Sept. 4, 2018.
South Carolina (6-3) took control of the first set, taking a 13-7 lead on East Tennessee State (2-7). The Buccaneers battled back, as South Carolina errors and a kill by Sophie Davis gave them a 22-19 lead. The Gamecocks and the Bucs traded shots as a block by Elizabeth Aylward and Gianna Blair tied the set at 25. South Carolina would take the set's final two points for the 27-25 first-set win.
The Gamecocks opened the second frame with a 5-1 lead; however, the Bucs managed to trim their deficit and tie the set at 14 with a kill from Karis Chatfield, Sophie Davis, and an ace by Aylward. The teams went shot for shot, seeing the set's final tie at 18 from a South Carolina error that sparked an 8-2 run by the Bucs, allowing them to take the second set 25-20.
The two teams traded shots for the majority of the third set, seeing 11 tied scores. The set's final tie was at 24 with a kill from Olivia Borgman. A kill by Sophie Davis, assisted by Alex Kreutzmann, followed by a South Carolina error gave the Bucs the 26-24 third-set win.
South Carolina took a 10-5 lead to open the fourth set, as a 6-2 run by the Bucs allowed them to get back within one at 12-11. The Gamecocks continued to build on their lead as a kill by Ceci Vance and a Buccaneer attack error gave them a 22-17 lead. East Tennessee State would get as close as 24-23 with a 3-0 run including a kill and ace by Aylward and a kill by Davis, but a kill from Ava Leahy ended the set with the Gamecocks taking the 25-23 fourth-set win.
The fifth set saw five tied scores; however, the Gamecocks took a 14-11 lead. The Buccaneers battled back and fought off three South Carolina match points. A kill by Leahy tied the set at 15, but a kill by Davis and Bailey Gohlke ended the match, giving the Buccaneers the 3-2 win over South Carolina.
MATCH POINTS
- Sophie Davis paced the team with 16 kills. Karis Chatfield had 12, while Gianna Blair and Makayla Bays had 11 each.
- Davis led the team with a .438 hitting percentage.
- Alex Kreutzmann had 31 assists. Bailey Gohlke had 25.
- Bays led with four service aces.
- Four Bucs had 10 or more digs, with Bays leading with 15.
- Blair led with six total blocks.
- Bays, Kreutzmann, and Chatfield each had a double-double.
