Volleyball Suffers Sweep in Opener at South Carolina

Thursday, February 4

Columbia, S.C.

6:00 PM

Mississippi State

2-7

South Carolina

8-3

Mississippi State

South Carolina

Photo by: South Carolina Athletics

Volleyball Suffers Sweep in Opener at South Carolina

February 04, 2021 | Volleyball

Box Score

By: Austin Coats, Graduate Assistant/Communications

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Mississippi State volleyball struggled to find its footing in its spring opener Thursday (Feb. 4) night, falling victim to host South Carolina in three sets at the Carolina Volleyball Center.

The Gamecocks (8-3, 8-3 SEC) extended their win streak to four matches, sweeping MSU (2-7, 2-7 SEC) in the first contest of the two-match series.

"Tonight was tough," MSU volleyball head coach Julie Darty Dennis said. "We went in and had a good game plan, and we didn't get the job done. There were glimmers of good play and execution, but we didn't sustain it long enough."

"We have to take care of the ball on our side with our serve and defense, and we are looking forward to an opportunity to improve on that tomorrow. Overall, we just need to reset. Gabby Waden did a good job putting up solid numbers, but we need to get more people involved to get production from more sources. If we can continue to pass the ball well, we can side out at an effective level. We just have to score more points with our serve, and that is a big focus for us right now."

Junior Gabby Waden was once again a highlight on the stat sheet for the Bulldogs. MSU's right side hitter tallied 11 kills, which tied Carolina's Kyla Manning for the match high.

South Carolina attacked efficiently as a group, averaging a .400 hitting percentage. Kyla Manning and McKenzie Moorman led the Gamecock offensive effort, with 11 and nine kills, respectively, while each notching hitting marks over .400. Manning just missed a double-double, with nine digs to lead her team.

Match Notes

Junior transfer setter Gabby Coulter made her Bulldog debut, seeing action in every set while tallying 13 assists and a service ace.
Junior right side hitter Gabby Waden collected 11 kills (.286), tying the match-high. The Columbia, South Carolina, native had five of those kills in the final set. Waden has totaled double-digit kills in eight of nine matches this season.
Sophomore outside hitter Lauren Myrick tallied five of her eight kills in the opening set while averaging a .400 hitting percentage in the frame.
Graduate transfer Jessica Kemp posted three total blocks to lead MSU. Her six performances this season with at least three blocks lead the team.
Redshirt junior outside hitter Logan Brown saw action for the first time since Oct. 22 against LSU, recording eight kills.

First Set (South Carolina 25, Mississippi State 18)

Despite not allowing a South Carolina run greater than three straight points, the Bulldogs fell in an initially tightly contested opening frame. The Bulldogs opened with a 7-3 lead, three of those points coming off of kills by Myrick. The sophomore transfer had five kills (.400) in the first set.

The Gamecocks were efficient in the set, boasting a .471 hitting percentage. Three straight points gave South Carolina a 21-16 lead, and the Gamecocks held off State to take the set.

Second Set (South Carolina 25, Mississippi State 17)

The Gamecocks took an 8-4 lead from a 3-0 run and controlled the set from that point on, leading by as many as 11 points in the frame. State showed late fight, scoring four of the last six points, but couldn't make up the gap that South Carolina created early.

Third Set (South Carolina 25, Mississippi State 19)

State showed resolve in the third frame, coming back from a three-point deficit to tie the match at 10-10 on a block by Kemp and Waden. The two teams traded points before Manning played spoiler with a kill to take a 15-14 lead, which were worsened by consecutive Bulldog attack errors. State couldn't pull back all the way, and the Gamecocks took the third set, 25-19, to clinch the match victory.

Up Next
Mississippi State will look to punch back in the series finale. The two teams meet again on Friday in the Carolina Volleyball Center, with first serve at 6 p.m. CT. Fans can watch the match on the SEC Network+ digital platform.

For more information on the Bulldogs, follow the program on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching @HailStateVB.