VB Drops Five-Set Thriller Against South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The University of Miami volleyball team dropped its first match of the season, 3-2, against South Carolina on Friday night.

Despite the unfortunate result, Flormarie Heredia Colon led in kills (21), Angela Grieve led in attacks (57), Savannah Vach led in assists (51) and Abby Casiano led in blocks (7.0).

The Canes controlled the first half of set one, with Casiano pulling the team away with a kill for a 13-8 lead. South Carolina battled back to put them within three of the Canes, 23-20.  With a combined 13 kills and six blocks, Miami delivered an aggressive 25-22 win to open the match.

The teams battled hard for each point throughout set two. Despite earning another 13 kills, Miami dropped set two, 26-24.

Set three stayed the same pace as the previous. The Canes trailed behind the first half of the set before Heredia Colon smacked one down to tie it at 16-all. The Gamecocks started to pull away once again, but back-to-back kills by Grieve and Ashley Carr tied it back at 22. The Canes claimed the set, 26-24, after an attack error from South Carolina.

Miami maintained the lead in the beginning of the fourth set, but the Gamecocks kept up to make it interesting after tying it at 11. Going point-for-point, South Carolina came back to tie the match with a 25-23 win.

In Miami’s first fifth set of the season, the Gamecocks gained an early 5-1 lead and maintained the edge to extend it to 11-6. The Canes cut it to 13-12, but eventually dropped the set, 15-13.

The Canes will remain in Columbia, S.C., to face Troy on Sept. 2.