COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina bolstered its NCAA tournament resume in a big way on Wednesday afternoon, defeating No. 18 Florida in five sets in the Carolina Volleyball Center. The Gamecocks (16-10, 7-8 SEC) broke up a 10-game win streak for the Gators (21-6, 11-4 SEC) and spoiled their chance at sharing a piece of the conference’s regular-season championship. Coupled with the team’s road win in Gainesville in October, this is the first time South Carolina has consecutive wins over Florida since the 1986 season.
1st SET: Riley Whitesides was swinging early and often in the opening game, she accounted for six kills among the team’s first 15 points on the way to a 15-12 lead going into the first break of the afternoon. Both offenses were clicking throughout, the defense’s only reprieves came through pressure behind the service line and Whitesides would provide that in a key stretch for Carolina. After Florida cut the Gamecock lead to one, 16-15, she would take over service with a previously unseen jump top-spin serve and it put the Gators in a blender. Whitesides recorded two service aces in a 5-0 run to break the game open again at 21-16 and the Gamecocks went on to win 25-20, hitting .417 to just a .200 mark for Florida.
2nd SET: Both defenses adjusted accordingly to start the second, leading into a called timeout from South Carolina trailing 11-7, the Gamecocks committed six errors on the attack with Florida recording three blocks in the opening stretch. South Carolina was able to keep its head above water thanks to four errors and just three kills in that same span from the Gators. The visitors were able to limit Whitesides’ impact, she was held to just one kill and the Gamecocks were mired in more errors than kills for the set until the very end, finishing with 10 kills and 10 errors in a 25-22 loss. Florida had six blocks, helping pick up its offense that hit just .148 with 11 kills.
3rd SET: The Gamecocks showed their mettle when they needed it most, overcoming Florida late in the third to steal back momentum behind a 26-24 victory. Neither side found much daylight early, but it was the Gators on top late after four lead changes and 15 ties, pushing ahead 24-22 with a chance to go up a set on Carolina. Out of a called timeout for the Gamecocks, Florida committed four straight errors, the first three came on serve and then two unforced errors on the attack, the fourth and set-clinching point came from a combination block by Oby…