Georgia Tops Gamecocks in Five Sets in SEC Opener

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Down 12-7 in the fifth set of Friday’s Southeastern Conference opener, the University of Georgia women’s volleyball team came together to win eight-of-nine rallies and win its match over South Carolina, 3-2 (22-25, 28-26, 27-25, 19-25, 15-13)..

Georgia (9-3, 1-0) widens its winning streak to six-straight matches with the victory over the Gamecocks (8-5, 0-1).

The Bulldogs saw four players top the double-digit kill mark Friday, led by 14 from junior Kianna Young. 13 kills from sophomore Sage Naves was a career best while the same tally from sophomore Mallory Hernandez was a season best. Sophomore Kayla Rivera added 12 kills of her own.

Senior setter Meghan Donovan recorded double-double number four of the season, dishing out a season-high 53 assists and putting up a team-best 18 digs. She added three kills on three attempts and assisted on two blocks.

Junior Kendall Glover and sophomore Claire Rothenberger each had 12 digs for Georgia Friday evening.

South Carolina jumped out to an early 4-1 lead on the Bulldogs in the opening stanza. Down 9-6, Georgia used a 6-1 run to overtake the Gamecocks and hold a 12-10 lead, prompting a timeout from the Gamecock bench. Georgia worked to build a 17-14 lead; however, the Gamecocks rattled off three-straight points to tie the set and Georgia took a timeout. The Gamecocks used the momentum out of the timeout to take the first set, 25-22. Rivera led the Georgia attackers in the set with five kills while hitting .400.

A couple of Gamecock attack errors along with a Glover ace capped a 3-0 run to tie the second set at 6-6. South Carolina responded to open a 12-9 lead and prompt a Georgia timeout. The Bulldogs scored back-to-back points out of the break to narrow the lead to one; however, three-straight Georgia miscues allowed the Gamecocks to go up, 15-11. A 6-1 Bulldog run, capped by back-to-back kills from Hernandez gave Georgia the lead, 18-17. Both teams proceeded to go point-for-point following that. Tied at 23, Georgia drew set point with a Naves kill. The set went long, with Georgia drawing set point twice and South Carolina once. Down 26-25, the sixth kill from Hernandez tied it up then back-to-back Gamecock errors sealed the frame for Georgia, 28-26, tying the match. Naves contributed four kills of her own in the second.

South Carolina opened set three to a 5-2 lead; however, Georgia used five unanswered points to capture a 7-5 lead. Down one, 12-11, Georgia slowly worked to retake and open a lead on South Carolina. With Georgia up 20-17, South Carolina used its final break of the set. Georgia drew set point at 24-21, but South Carolina bounded back to tie it at 24 all. Once again, it took a few extra points in the set, but Georgia came out in front, 27-25, capped by Hernandez’s 10th kill of the match.

With Georgia up 8-7 in set four, South Carolina used an 8-1 run to open a healthy lead, one which it used to win set four 25-19 and stay alive in the match, forcing a decisive fifth set in the SEC opener.

The Gamecocks opened the final set 5-1. Down 7-3, Georgia advanced to tie the frame at seven all, capped by another Glover ace. The Gamecocks responded with three-straight to prompt a Georgia timeout. South Carolina lengthened the run to five after the timeout and a 12-7 lead. Back-to-back Georgia points prompted a break from South Carolina, 12-9. The Bulldogs won eight of the next nine rallies to come from behind, down five, to win the finale set 15-13 and the match, 3-2.

Up next, Georgia continues its SEC opening weekend road trip at #12 Florida. First serve against the Gators is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. in Gainesville.

Sean Steverson, UGA athletics