Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Clemson Box Score

South Carolina Box Score

CHARLESTON, SC – The Winthrop volleyball team dropped its final two matches of the Carolina Challenge as the Eagles fell to Clemson in four sets (25-16, 19-25, 25-19, 25-20) and South Carolina in straight sets (25-14, 25-20, 26-24) on Saturday at the TD Arena.

The losses bring the Eagles to 5-4 on the year.

In the match against Clemson, the Eagles we led by sophomore setter Stephanie Palmer who led the team in digs with 17 and assists with 37, finishing with her fourth double-double of the year. Behind Palmer in digs was freshman outside hitter Lauren Landsman with 11. Offensively, Winthrop was paced by senior middle hitter Becca Toor with 13. Following Toor was junior outside hitter Carolyn Weed with nine. As a team, the Eagles finished 47 kills, 51 digs and a .175 attacking percentage.

In the first set, the Eagles could not contain the Tiger offense as Clemson finished the set with 18 kills and .571 hitting percentage. The Tigers cruised to win the set, 25-16.

“I think we continue to put ourselves in tough situations by starting so slow,” head coach Julie Torbett said. “We dig a hole and then we have to try to fight our way out of it.”

The second set was the complete opposite of the first as the Eagles went on a run at the 8-8 mark. Winthrop scored 12 unanswered points and took the set, despite a late Clemson run, 25-19. The Eagles got 18 kills in the set as seven came from Weed.

The Tigers got off to a quick start in the third set as they took their biggest lead at the 11-3 mark. Winthrop tried to regroup late in the set, but was not enough as Clemson captured the set 25-19. Toor finished the set with six kills.

In the final set, the Tigers held Winthrop's offense for just seven kills and forced seven errors as the Clemson took the set and the match, 25-20. Clemson notched 15 kills in the set and hit .242.

The Tigers ended the match with three players with double-digit kills, as Sandra Adeleye led with 13 kills. Hannah Brenner led the way defensively as she totaled 14 digs.

“Clemson was a match we could have been in the whole time,” Torbett said. “But we only showed up for one set.”

In the match against South Carolina, Winthrop was paced offensively by Blackman who posted nine kills and a .529 hitting percentage. Defensively, the Eagles were led by Landsman with 11 digs and freshman libero Catherine Brusie with 10 digs. Palmer continued to set well, ending with 22 assists.

“A bright spot tonight was Brittany Blackman,” Torbett said. “She had nine kills with zero errors.”

The Eagles committed six errors on 11 kills in the opening set which helped the Gamecocks cruse to win the set, 25-14. Mullins tallied four kills in the set, but Winthrop could only manage a .106 attacking percentage.

The second set saw the teams swap points early, but South Carolina made a run from the 6-6 mark and never gave up that lead. The Gamecocks took the second set, 25-20. The offense continued to struggle as the Eagles had 11 kills, compared to South Carolina's 15.

South Carolina's offense was on display in the third, but Winthrop showed some life, keeping with the Gamecocks throughout the set. Teams fought all the way to the 24-24 mark, as two of South Carolina's 22 kills in the set gave the Gamecocks the set and the match, 26-24.

“We are very inconsistent right now,” Torbett said. “It caused us to play frustrated instead on determined.”

The Gamecocks finished the match with 51 kills, 76 digs and a .262 attacking percentage. Hanna Forst ended the night with a double-double, as she found the floor with 15 kills and had 12 digs.

The Eagles will be back in action on Wednesday, Sept. 14, as they travel up I-77 to take on the Charlotte 49ers. That match is slated for 7 p.m.