Bulldogs Fall to Gamecocks in Four Sets

Sunday, October 21

Columbia, S.C.

3 p.m.

University of Georgia

12-8, 3-6SEC

South Carolina

15-4, 6-3SEC

Georgia

South Carolina

Photo by: Kristin M. Bradshaw

October 21, 2018 | Volleyball

Box Score South Carolina Box Score

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Georgia volleyball team (12-8, 3-6) fell in four sets on the road at South Carolina (15-4, 6-3) Sunday afternoon at the Carolina Volleyball Center (23-25, 16-25, 25-19, 21-25).

The loss is Georgia's fourth-straight in Southeastern Conference play.

T'ara Ceasar and Rachel Ritchie led the way offensively for Georgia with 13 kills each. Majesti Bass concluded with 10 kills of her own. Ceasar recorded her 10^thdouble-double with 13 digs. Kendall Glover also had 13 digs for the Bulldogs on Sunday.

Georgia took an early timeout after South Carolina opened the match with a four-point, 7-3, lead. The Bulldogs used a 4-0 run to pull within one, 10-9, but South Carolina responded with three-straight. Down 18-16, South Carolina committed three-straight errors including a block by Anna Kate Karstens and Mallory Hernandez, to put Georgia in front 19-18. With Georgia up by one, the Gamecocks took four of the next five points to draw set point then take the opening set, 25-23. Ritchie led the way with six kills while hitting .556 to begin the match. The opening set featured eight ties.

The second set opened by both teams exchanging points. South Carolina began pulling away, opening a four-point lead, prompting a timeout from the Georgia bench, 12-8. The Gamecocks continued to build on the lead en route to a 25-16 set two victory.

South Carolina came out strong in the third set before Georgia worked to tie it at five. Down 12-10, Georgia won six of the next seven rallies to open a 16-13 lead. Georgia never relinquished the lead all the way to a 25-19 win in the set, staying alive in the match. Ceasar contributed six kills in the fourth set.

The Bulldogs opened the four set with a 6-1 lead on the Gamecocks, forcing an early South Carolina timeout. Following the timeout, the Gamecocks won seven of the next nine points to tie it at eight. A 3-0 run put South Carolina in front, 11-9. Another three-point run, this time by Georgia tied it at 15 then a block put the Bulldogs ahead by one, 16-15. South Carolina responded with another 7-2 run to open a four-point lead, 22-18. The Gamecocks wrapped up the set and the match, 25-21.

Georgia returns to Athens and Stegeman Coliseum to host #15 Kentucky Friday and Tennessee on Sunday. First serve against the Wildcats is at 7 p.m. at Stegeman Coliseum.