Box Score vs. South Carolina
Photo Gallery vs. South Carolina

Box Score vs. UNC Greensboro
Photo Gallery vs. UNC Greensboro

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Eastern Kentucky’s volleyball team began the Gamecock Invitational with a pair of losses on Friday. The Colonels (0-5) lost to the host team, the University of South Carolina (4-0), by a score of 3-0. Later in the day, Eastern fell to North Carolina Greensboro (4-2) 3-1.

Game scores for the South Carolina match were 25-23, 25-12 and 25-12. UNC Greensboro won the second match by scores of 25-21, 25-17, 22-25 and 25-16.

In the first set against South Carolina, the Colonels jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the Gamecocks rolled off four straight to go in front by two. A kill by Lauren Snyder followed by a USC attack error put the visitors ahead by one, 8-7. South Carolina took a 10-9 lead on a kill by Meredith Moorhead and led by four, 17-13, after a kill by Bridget Denson-Dorman. A kill by Tory Anderson kept the Gamecocks in front by four, 20-16, and led to an EKU timeout.

The Colonels stayed within four and then cut the deficit to a single point, 23-22, after a kill by Kate Hendle and back-to-back USC attack errors. South Carolina won the next point to reach set-point but Snyder answered with a kill to keep Eastern alive. However, on the next series, Ivana Kujundzic tallied a kill to end the set 25-23.

Snyder had six kills and hit .417 in the first set. Eastern Kentucky held a .333 to .270 advantage in attack percentage

After a kill by EKU freshman Toni Michalski to start the second set, South Carolina took control and never looked back. The Gamecocks answered with an 11-3 run to go on top by seven, 11-4. A kill by Autumn Harms and a USC attack error allowed Eastern to draw within four, 15-11, but the Colonels would get no closer. South Carolina closed out the set on a 10-1 run to win 25-12 and build a 2-0 lead.

Eastern Kentucky posted a .029 attack percentage and only five kills in the second set. USC hit .342 with 15 kills and only two errors.

South Carolina maintained its momentum into the third set, jumping out on top 10-2. The lead reached double digits, 16-6, on a service ace by Moorhead. A kill by Taylor Bruns ended the set, 25-12, and the match.

Snyder led EKU with seven kills. Lindsey Loescher added five. Kujundzic posted a game-high 14 kills, committed only one error and hit .500 for South Carolina.

In the match against UNC Greensboro, Loescher led Eastern with 16 kills. She made only two errors in 40 total attacks for a .350 hitting percentage. Snyder added 13 kills and seven digs. #Abby O’Connor# had a match-high 25 digs.

In the first set against UNC Greensboro, the Colonels jumped out in front 4-1 on a pair of kills by Loescher. The Spartans battled back and went on top 7-6 on an ace by Kayleigh Knerr. Neither team led by more than three points until three unanswered gave UNCG a four-point advantage, 20-16. A kill by Billi Baker made it a five-point lead, 23-18, and Spartans went on to win the set 25-21.

EKU had 11 kills and no errors in the first set, but UNC Greensboro totaled 15 kills and five service aces.
UNCG used a 9-2 run midway through the second set to take a six-point advantage, 15-9. An ace by Caley Redden and a kill by Emily Lindborg pushed the Spartans’ lead to eight, 19-11. An ace by Arielle Lysacek closed out the set 25-17 and put UNC Greensboro out in front 2-0.

Despite being down 2-0, the Colonels continued to battle throughout the third set. UNCG got off to a quick 4-1 start and led 7-3 after a kill by Baker. EKU scored four straight to tie, including back-to-back kills by Hannah Groudle and Snyder. The Spartans eased back out by four 13-9 and led by five, 16-11, after an Eastern attack error. Four unanswered by the Colonels closed the gap to one, 16-15. Consecutive kills by Loescher and Snyder capped the quick run.

UNC Greensboro edged back in front by three, 21-18, on an ace by Catherine Hanners, but Eastern Kentucky wouldn’t go away. The Colonels strung together six unanswered points to turn a three-point deficit into a three-point lead. Two straight kills by Loescher brought EKU to set-point, 24-21. Two plays later, Eastern closed out the set, 25-22, on another kill by Loescher.

Loescher had six kills and only one error in the third set.

UNC Greensboro used a 5-1 run in the fourth set to stretch a three-point lead to a seven-point advantage, 16-9. A kill by Lindborg kept the margin at seven, 19-12. An ace by Knerr and an EKU attack error allowed the Spartans to build a double digit lead, 23-13. The match ended on an Eastern service error.

Hanners posted a match-high 22 kills and 18 digs for UNCG. Lindborg added 14 kills. Baker and Redden each finished with 10 kills.

The Colonels will conclude their trip to the Palmetto State when they face Coastal Carolina University on Saturday at 10 a.m.