COLUMBIA, S.C. – The No. 12 Florida volleyball team dropped a tightly-contested, five-set battle to the South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday afternoon at the Carolina Volleyball Center.
The Gators move to 10-3 on the year and 2-1 in conference play, while South Carolina improves to 7-5 during the 2022 campaign and 1-1 in the SEC.
Florida used a late charge to create distance in the first set, taking it 25-20. South Carolina responded with a 25-21 victory in the second, but the Gators answered right back with a 25-17 win in the third set. The Gamecocks forced a deciding fifth set with a 25-22 victory in the fourth and closed out the match with a 15-7 win in the final frame.
The Gators were balanced on the offensive front on Sunday afternoon, with Merritt Beason leading the way with her 17-kill performance.
Marina Markova added 14 kills on the afternoon, while Sofia Victoria posted a 10-kill effort. Bre Kelley tallied six kills to round out the main Gator scorers.
Alexis Stucky registered 42 helpers in the match, along with nine digs and three blocks.
The Gators totaled 12.0 blocks at the net, led by six from Kelley. Gabrielle Essix and Beason each registered five blocks in the match, while Stucky and Markova tallied three apiece.
In the backcourt, Elli McKissock tallied a team-high 14 digs, followed by nine from Stucky. Trinity Adams (7) and Beason (6) combined for 13 digs.
Beason also notched four aces behind the service line, tying her career-high mark.
The Gators are off from play until Oct. 5 when the team travels to Knoxville, Tenn. to take on the Tennessee Lady Vols. First serve is set for 7 p.m….
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