KNOXVILLE, TENN. – South Carolina volleyball nears the mid-point of the SEC season when it travels north to Tennessee for a two-game series this weekend. The Gamecocks, currently at 9-6 overall and 3-2 in conference play, are searching for just their second true road win of the season. Saturday’s opening game with the Volunteers (8-8, 2-2 SEC) is scheduled for 4 p.m. on the SEC Network+, Sunday’s rematch is at noon and will be the national SEC Network broadcast.
The road team has won each of the last three meetings; South Carolina swept Tennessee in its last trip to Thompson-Boling Arena, back on Nov. 7, 2020. The Gamecocks are just 2-4 overall against Tennessee under head coach Tom Mendoza.
WEEK TWO NOTABLES (GEORGIA/MISSOURI)
- South Carolina’s two wins extends what is now a five-game win streak over Missouri, the longest win streak for either side in the all-time series.
- The Gamecocks saw four individuals who had a double-double in the Saturday match: Riley Whitesides (15 kills, 11 digs), Dalaney Hans (28 assists, 12 digs), Claire Wilson (20 assists, 10 digs) and Jenna Hampton (29 digs, 10 assists) – who tallied her first career double-double thanks to a new personal best for assists. It’s just the second time in the last decade that the team had four double-doubles in a single match.
- Along with her double-double on Saturday, Whitesides tied her career high of three service aces and had a hand in four blocks.
- The team’s 78 digs on Saturday are 10 more than it’s had in any other match so far this season; Hampton’s 29 is the second-highest total of her career.
- Ellie Ruprich was a threat early and often on offense in the series opener, her 11 kills was one off her career high and it was the first time since that career high of 12 vs. Mississippi State on Feb. 5, 2021 – a span of 51 matches – that she reached double figures for kills.
- With 15 more blocks Saturday afternoon, the Gamecocks have recorded at least 15 block in each of the last three matches. Oby Anadi led the team with eight total blocks (one solo).
- Jenna Hampton piled up 23 digs in the three sets Sunday, it is the seventh-highest total for a three-set match in the program’s 49-year history. The last Gamecock with more was Hannah Lawing against Clemson on Sept. 3, 2010, the last Gamecock with more against a SEC opponent was Kori Ermigarat against Kentucky on Oct. 20, 1995.
- Now just five games in to the conference schedule, Hampton has 102 total digs and is…