South Carolina pulled off a stunning upset on Wednesday afternoon by defeating No. 18 Florida in five sets, bolstering their NCAA tournament resume. The Gamecocks managed to break up Florida’s 10-game win streak and spoil their chance at sharing a piece of the conference’s regular-season championship. This victory, coupled with their road win in Gainesville in October, marks the first time South Carolina has had consecutive wins over Florida since the 1986 season.
The match was a true team effort, with Riley Whitesides leading the charge with 17 kills, surpassing the 400-kill milestone for the season. Whitesides also achieved over 1,400 career kills, joining an elite group in the program’s history. Tireh Smith also made a significant impact with 13 kills and a team-high eight blocks.
South Carolina’s high-risk, high-reward mindset paid off, as they finished with 30 service errors in the win. Despite entering the match with the SEC’s top offensive efficiency, hitting .304 through their first 26 matches, Florida ended the game with a .129 hitting percentage, their lowest efficiency of the season.
With this impressive win, South Carolina looks ahead to their regular season finale against Texas A&M, hoping to carry the momentum into their next matchup. Head coach Tom Mendoza now has 11 wins over ranked opponents in his tenure, establishing themselves as strong contenders in the NCAA tournament.
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Photo credit gamecocksonline.com
