Men's Soccer:
FROM USC:
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Cristiano Bruletti’s goal in the 20th minute was all the Gamecocks would need as they took down the visiting Campbell Fighting Camels 1-0 Saturday night (Sept. 17) at Stone Stadium. Carolina’s record now stands at 3-3-1 on the season.
Although Campbell out-shot the Gamecocks 14-7, South Carolina finished with five shots on goal compared to three for the Camels, who made the NCAA tournament a season ago. Ben Alexander earned a pair of saves in goal for Carolina. Will Crain also earned a team save for the Gamecocks.
South Carolina came out on the offensive attack, putting up three shots in the first 15 minutes, two of which came on target. On the attack again, Rocky Perez made a little flick pass up the field to Logan Frost. Frost was able to find Bruletti out to the right with a touch pass behind the Campbell defender. Bruletti took one touch and blasted a shot from just outside the 18-yard box and into the upper right 90, for his first collegiate goal.
Campbell looked to have an opportunity to tie it up in the 28th minute. Alexander dove to deflect a pass by a Camel attacker through the box. The ball deflected directly to a Campbell player on the back post with what looked to be a wide open goal. Crain was there to earn the defensive team save as he denied the shot with his leg.
The Gamecock defense held the Camels to only one shot on goal in the second half. Their one shot on goal came in the 76th minute. Campbell found a wide open player on the back post, but Alexander was able to deny the shot.
South Carolina continues its homestand when it hosts Queens University of Charlotte Tuesday, September 20 at 7 p.m.
VOLLEYBALL
GAME 1 vs. Miami
FROM USC:
CORAL GABLES, FLA. – South Carolina volleyball earned its first road win of the season in dramatic fashion Friday night, holding off a Miami comeback to defeat the Hurricanes in five sets. The Gamecocks (6-3) spoiled the home opener for the Hurricanes (7-3) in the first meeting between the two schools since 1981. McKenzie Moorman led the team with 17 kills while also hitting .324.
1st SET: Miami used a spate of errors by South Carolina to build a big 9-2 lead out the gate, but the Gamecocks fought through it and alleviated some early nerves with a 6-1 run to get back in contention early. The Hurricanes maintained at least a two-point advantage until a second run mid-way through the set keyed by Camilla Covas.
Trailing 18-15, the Gamecocks used back-to-back aces from Covas in a 4-0 run that gave the team its first lead of the night. Miami got back ahead at 22-21, but a kill from Riley Whitesides and an ace from Claire Wilson flipped the score back in Carolina’s favor. With a 24-23 lead, the Gamecocks won a replay challenge that would have tied the game at 24, but a reversal instead clinched the 25-23 win for the visitors. Whitesides, Lauren McCutcheon and McKenzie Moorman combined for 12 kills and a .454 hitting percentage to lead the offense.
2nd SET: The Hurricanes got another fast start in the second, going up 10-5 before the Gamecocks again answered the bell. Down 14-12, a pair of kills from Kiune Fletcher highlighted a 5-1 run to push Carolina ahead. A Miami run gave it the lead again, but it would give it back thanks to three unforced errors that made it 21-19 for the Gamecocks. McKenzie Moorman put away back-to-back kills and Ellie Ruprich sealed a 25-22 win with her fourth block of the night.
3rd SET: Another early lead from the home side would finally stick in the third, Miami used an early 6-0 run to take a lead that it would not relinquish in a 25-20 final score. The Hurricanes enjoyed their best game of the match on offense, out-hitting South Carolina .351 to .116 and piling up 17 kills. Moorman added six more kills in the third, but six unforced attacking errors doomed the team’s comeback chances.
4th SET: The defense for Miami put the clamps on the South Carolina offense in the fourth, using four blocks in a game-breaking 11-1 run that turned a 9-8 lead for Miami into a 20-9 margin that would be plenty in a 25-13 final to tie the match. The Gamecocks hit -.077 with six total kills, half of those coming after the Miami run to double its lead, and the Hurricane’s out-blocked Carolina 5-0.
5th SET: Needing to shake off the momentum swing early in the final game to 15, the Gamecocks found themselves trading points early with Miami before a small run gave them some daylight. In a 4-4 game, the team got kills from Whitesides and Fletcher in what became a 4-0 run. The Hurricanes would get no closer than two points the rest of the way in a 15-11 final. One game removed from its worst offensive performance of the night, the Gamecock attack enjoyed it’s best game in the fifth, hitting .471 with 10 kills, led by three apiece by Moorman and McCutcheon.
GAME 2 vs Oregon
CORAL GABLES, FLA. – South Carolina volleyball fell in straight sets to No. 20 Oregon in the final game of its non-conference season. The Gamecocks are 6-4 entering SEC play, the Ducks improve to 5-2 this fall with the win.
1st SET: South Carolina’s offense started the match on the wrong foot, dropping the set 25-15 with just six total kills. Oregon totaled four blocks, four service aces and 14 digs to keep the ball off its side of the court.
2nd SET: The Gamecocks picked up the pace on offense, both in kill total and attack efficiency, surpassing their set one totals early in the second. Despite their offensive improvement, Oregon’s offense remained locked-in and improved its offensive stats from set one, out-hitting Carolina .406 to .281 with 16 kills. Lauren McCutcheon (five kills), McKenzie Moorman (four) and Riley Whitesides (three) led the offense, committing just one attack error between the three.
3rd SET: Oregon closed out the sweep with another stout defensive performance in the third, forcing more Gamecock errors (seven) than kills (five) in a 25-14 set score. Moorman accounted for more than half the team’s kills with three more in the third, the senior pin finished the afternoon with a team-high eight kills and did not commit an error on the attack.
UP NEXT
Conference play awaits the Gamecocks next, starting with a two-game series at home against Florida from Sept. 24-25. The Gators are 8-2 and ranked 16th nationally but will likely be on the way up after a 3-2 upset of No. 4 Wisconsin on the road in its last match Sept. 17.
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