Box Score vs. The Citadel  //  Box Score vs. South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Eastern Kentucky beat The Citadel, 3-0, before falling to South Carolina, 3-2, on the first day of the Carolina Classic presented by Courtyard Marriott.
 
EKU beat The Citadel by scores of 25-17, 25-17 and 25-11.  South Carolina won by scores of 25-21, 22-25, 23-25, 25-19 and 15-6.  The Colonels now stand at 9-6 on the season.
 
Alexis Plagens led Eastern with nine kills against The Citadel (4-8).  She made only two errors in 18 attempts for a .389 attack percentage.  Rachel Vick finished with eight kills, no errors in 13 attempts, a .615 attack percentage and three blocks.
 
As a team, EKU had 44 kills, only 11 errors, and a .355 hitting percentage.  The Colonels had 12 more digs and three more blocks, but committed 11 service errors.  The Bulldogs had 22 kills and a .057 attack percentage, but made just two service errors.
 
Dominique Williams and Bailey Kernodle each had six kills to lead The Citadel.
 
The Colonels fell behind 1-0 to host South Carolina (9-2) before winning the next two sets.  Eastern broke a 6-6 tie in the second set with a 7-1 run.  Setter Abbey Cvelbar had two kills during the run.  A Gamecock error capped it and put the visitors in front 13-7.  EKU led by as many as seven before South Carolina closed the gap to two, 24-22, on a kill by KoKo Atoa-Williams.  However, on the ensuing series, Vick's kill ended the set and tied the match.
 
With a 17-11 lead in the third set, the Gamecocks looked poised to take a 2-1 lead.  However, after a timeout the Colonels responded with a 6-1 run to get back in it.  A kill by Plagens followed by a USC error got EKU within one, 18-17.  South Carolina led 21-18 before Eastern rolled off four unanswered to take the lead.  Celina Sanks finished off the set with a kill to stake her team to a 2-1 lead.
 
A kill by Vick in the fourth set had Eastern Kentucky in front 10-8, but South Carolina went on a 10-2 run to take control of the set, and the match.  The Gamecocks won the set by six to tie the score 2-2 and then scored seven of the first eight points in the decisive fifth set to put the match away.
 
Ally Peters tied for the match-high with 17 kills for the Colonels.  Vick had 14 kills and three blocks.  Sanks finished with 11 kills.  Dena Ott recorded a match-best 27 digs.
 
Atoa-Williams also had 17 kills for South Carolina.  Jacgy Angermiller had 11 blocks to help the Gamecocks to a 17-8 advantage in that category.
 
The Colonels struggled again with their serve, combining for 10 service errors.
 
EKU will conclude play at the Carolina Classic on Saturday against Norfolk State at 11 a.m.