Carolina bounced back from their first SEC loss to defeat Texas A&M in four sets, getting their first win over the Aggies since 2013. The first set featured a series of lead changes before back to back kills by Mikayla Shields gave USC a 15-12 lead. A&M would rally and pull ahead at 18-17 but the Gamecocks would use a four point run to establish a 23-20 lead thanks to some solid serving by Courtney Koehler and back to back kills by Shields again. Carolina would get the final two points of the set on a service error by A&M (one of 19 in the match by the Aggies) and a kill by Mikayla Robinson.
Set two started promisingly as USC raced out to a 9-3 lead after winning four consecutive points, including kills by Shields and Jess Vastine. The lead would get as high as five points at 15-10 but the Aggies would chip away at that lead and then went on a five point run that put them up 22-19. A&M would go on to went the set 25-22 to tie the match. Claire Edwards set the tone for set three, opening it with a service ace. A kill by Edwards kicked off a run of four straight points that included back to back kills by Vastine. The Aggies would tie the set at 18, but kills by Edwards, Brittany McLean and Shields gave USC a lead it wouldn't relinquish. A service error by A&M gave Carolina the final needed point and a 2-1 set lead.
The Gamecocks won five of the first six points of set four including kills by Koehler, Shields and Vastine. The set was still reasonable close at 14-10 when Carolina exploded for six straight points that included two kills by Edwards. The match was never in question again and a kill by McLean finished off the match. USC is now 6-1 on the season against teams in the RPI 100. Two Gamecocks continued to march up the career leader list. Courtney Koehler moved up to ninth all-time in assists after recording 39 against the Aggies. Claire Edwards now ranks seventh in solo blocks after getting a pair in this match. Carolina will take on #11 Florida October 12th at home next. |