Auburn Volleyball bounced back from a slow start to defeat South Carolina in four sets (21-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-17) on Wednesday night. The Tigers put together a dominant offensive attack and strong defense at the net to secure their third consecutive win and second straight on the road.
After dropping the first set, Auburn found its rhythm in the second, holding the Gamecocks to just a .029 hitting percentage while posting 17 kills. The Tigers’ defense made the difference, totaling 11 blocks on the night and limiting South Carolina to .245 hitting overall. Auburn’s offense finished with a .362 hitting percentage.
The Auburn momentum carried through the third and fourth sets, where Auburn out-hit South Carolina .464 to .281 and .286 to .158. The Tigers also delivered from the service line, collecting five aces. Auburn ended the night with the advantage in nearly every major category – kills (60-57), aces (5-4), and blocks (11-7).
Liz Markovska led the way with another standout performance, recording 18 kills and 13 digs for her third double-double of the season. She hit a career-best of .533, committing just one error in 32 swings, and tallied the final five kills of the fourth set.
Lauren Dreves and Bel Zimmerman each added 10 kills, with Dreves also contributing two service aces and three blocks. Dreves has now reached double-digit kills in six consecutive matches and 20 times this season.
Kate Mansfield and Grace Havlicek anchored the blocking effort, finishing with five blocks apiece. Mansfield also hit a career-high .615, while Greer Chambless, Zimmerman, and Dreves each clipped in three blocks of their own.
Setter Shanele Puetz and Kalei Edson split setting duties, each recording 23 assists to keep the Tigers offense running smoothly. Puetz contributed two service aces, while Alexis Dacosta anchored the defense with 13 digs, matching Markovska for the team high.
The Tigers will look to extend their winning streak on Saturday as they travel to Athens to face the Georgia Bulldogs on Nov. 2 at 1:00 p.m CDT.
