The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
19-7, 5-6SEC
South Carolina
10-14, 3-8SEC
Rebels Drop Road Match at South Carolina
11/1/2015 | Volleyball
COLUMBIA, S.C. - For the first time all year, the Ole Miss volleyball team lost a match when outhitting their opponent, falling to South Carolina on the road, 3-0 Sunday in a nationally televised match on the SEC Network.
With the loss, the Rebels fell to 19-7 overall and 5-6 in the SEC, while South Carolina improved to 10-13 and 3-7 league play.
Ole Miss hit .250 in the match, marking just their second loss of the year when hitting above .200. South Carolina hit .227.
The Rebels started slow and trailed 22-12 in set one, before going on a 12-2 run to tie it at 24. The Gamecocks won the final two points on a kill by Dessaa Legros and an ace by Aubrey Ezell to take the set 26-24.
South Carolina carried the momentum from holding on to win set one over to the second set, racing out to an 8-2 lead. They led 18-13, before the Rebels went on a 7-4 run to get within 22-20, but the Gamecocks closed on a 4-1 run for 25-21 and a 2-0 lead at the break.
The Gamecocks led 5-2 to begin set three, but the Rebels used a 5-2 run to tie it at 7. Both teams traded points, and the Rebels even led 14-13, before the Gamecocks won three straight points to go ahead 16-14. South Carolina led by four, 19-15, but the Rebels pulled to within one, 20-19. Unfortunately, a service error gave the Gamecocks a two point lead, 21-19. The Gamecocks led 22-20, but Ole Miss won two straight on a huge block by Irmo, South Carolina native Ty Laporte and sophomore Taylor Alexander to make it 22-22. After the two teams traded points, South Carolina's Elizabeth Johnbull gave the Gamecocks their first match point, but senior Nakeyta Clair saved it with a kill. Gamecock Sarah Blomgren led all players with 15 kills, including one to give South Carolina a second match point, 25-24. On the ensuing play, Kate Gibson's attack went long, giving the Gamecocks the win.
Quick Hits
• Sophomore Kate Gibson led the Rebels with a double-double of 11 kills and 11 digs. She recorded her fifth double-double of the year and third in SEC play.
• Senior Nakeyta Clair notched her 400th block in the match and finished the day with nine kills on a .400 clip and two blocks. Her .400 hitting percentage ended a streak of four consecutive matches where she hit below her average.
• Senior Ty Laporte recorded eight kills and hit .438 for the match.
• Junior Aubrey Edie finished with 33 assists, while Kristen Brashear totaled 14 digs.
The Rebels return home to host Arkansas Friday at 6:30 p.m. in a rematch. Ole Miss won the first meeting, a 3-2 victory in Fayetteville on Oct. 18.
For more information on Ole Miss Volleyball, follow the Rebels on Twitter, @OleMissVB, on Facebook at OleMissVolleyball and on Instagram at OleMissVB. Also follow Coach McRoberts on Twitter, @CoachMcRoberts.
