The South Carolina volleyball team faced a 3-1 loss against the North Carolina State Wolfpack on Sept. 10 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
NC State opened the first set with a 6-1 lead behind South Carolina errors and a service ace from freshman outside hitter Rebecca Ring. The Gamecocks regrouped after a timeout, responding with a 5-0 run to tie it at 6-6.
From there, the set stayed close until key plays — kills from senior middle Emily Beeker and senior outside hitter Alayna Johnson, a block by senior setter Sarah Jordan and junior middle Ava Leahy and a service ace from junior outside hitter Nia Hall — gave South Carolina control. Back-to-back blocks from Beeker and sophomore right side Elise Marchal set up set point, and Johnson closed set one 25-18 with her fourth kill of the match.
South Carolina opened second set strong with kills from Johnson and Beeker, plus back-to-back services aces from Hall to lead 11-9. The Wolfpack answered with kills from Ring and senior outside hitter Courtney Bryant and then used Gamecock errors and a block by freshman middle Talia Francom to grab a 15-13 lead. The Gamecocks pulled even at a 19-19 behind Hall and a Marchal and Beeker block, but the Wolfpack closed it out 25-21 with a service ace by junior outside hitter Clara Vondran and a block by senior middle Lily Cropper and freshman right side Jordan Smith on South Carolina's Johnson to even the match.
The third set opened evenly at 4-4 before the Wolfpack broke away with a 5-1 run, forcing the Gamecocks to take an early timeout. NC State controlled the match from there, using strong net defense from Cropper and Smith to build a 19-14 lead. Despite late pushes from South Carolina's Hall and Jordan, its errors proved costly, and NC State closed out the set 25-17 to take a 2-1 set lead.
The Wolfpack jumped out to a 12-6 lead in the fourth set behind Bryant and Cropper, plus a service ace from redshirt junior defensive specialist Elaisa Villar. South Carolina answered with points from Hall and Beeker, but errors and missed serves stalled its momentum. Bryant and Cropper continued to power the Wolfpack, combining for six kills in the set. Cropper delivered the swing to reach match point, and Bryant finished it off as NC State secured a 25-17 win to close out the match.
Inconsistency at the service line
South Carolina faced challenges from the service line, recording 13 service errors over the course of the match. While these errors gave NC State opportunities to gain momentum, South Carolina remained competitive, generating multiple scoring runs and creating chances with strong rallies. Its ability to stay engaged and fight for points despite the unforced errors demonstrated its resilience and kept the Gamecocks in contention throughout the match.
Struggles Closing Long Rallies
While South Carolina showed flashes — with balanced scoring from Hall, Johnson and Beeker — the team finished the match with a .162 hitting percentage, reflecting the difficulty of consistently converting attacks against NC State's defense. Despite the modest efficiency, the Gamecocks was able to generate multiple scoring opportunities and maintain offensive balance, demonstrating its ability to distribute the ball and create chances throughout the match.
Harris anchors the back row
The Gamecocks were led defensively by sophomore libero Victoria Harris, who recorded 24 digs, helping to keep numerous rallies alive during the match. Harris's consistent passing and quick reactions kept the Gamecocks competitive in long rallies and gave her teammates opportunities to transition to offense. While South Carolina struggled to string sets together, Harris's efforts highlighted her role as a defensive leader for the Gamecocks.
What's next?
The South Carolina Gamecocks (3-4) will return to the Carolina Volleyball Center and face the No. 25 North Carolina Tarheels (5-0) on Sept. 12. The match will begin at 7 p.m. and will be streamed on SEC Network.