Volleyball’s Davenport Returns Home with Strong Performance against South Carolina

Friday, September 6

Columbia, S.C.

6 P.M.

Temple University

3-2

South Carolina

3-1

Temple

South Carolina

Volleyball’s Davenport Returns Home with Strong Performance against South Carolina

9.6.24 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Back in her hometown of Columbia, S.C., outside hitter Taylor Davenport put together a great effort on Friday night with a match-high 16 kills, and team-highs of eight digs and four blocks but it wasn't enough to help the Owls volleyball team (3-2) to a victory over South Carolina (3-1) on the first day of the Gamecock Invitational. Temple was upended by the Gamecocks in three sets, 25-17, 25-17, 25-16.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Gamecocks' Riley Whitesides led her team with a double-double 15 kills, 14 digs effort. Setter Sarah Jordan led the match with 29 assists while Victoria led all players with 15 digs in the sweep.
South Carolina hit .253 in the match with Whitesides hitting a match-high .424.
S.C.'s defense held the Owls to a .50 hitting percentage in the three sets with Elle Ruprich with a match-high four blocks.
Davenport led the Owls in kills, digs and blocks, while setters Lexi Yoza (15) and Ava Blascziek (12) combined for 27 assists in the loss.

Set 1 (SC 25, TEM 17)

During the first set, the Gamecocks outscored Temple at least four points to two on four different runs, including three runs of 3-0.
Down 6-3, the Owls tied the score at 6-6 with the help of a Gamecocks' service error, and kills from Davenport and freshman Sydney Jones.
South Carolina pulled away by a 9-6 score, but again, the resilient Owls again cut into the S.C. lead, 9-8, with the help of kills from Avery Luoma and Christiana Greene.
The Gamecocks scored the four consecutive points and six of the next eight to pull away from Temple, eventually winning the set, 25-17.
Temple setter Ava Blascziek quarterbacked Davenport to a set-high four kills, with eight of her 12 assists.

Set 2 (SC 25, TEM 17)

Much like the first set, Temple fought to keep it close early, jumping out to a 2-0 lead, but again South Carolina scored three straight times to take a hold of the set, 3-2, with the assistance of kills from Tireh Smith and Oby Anadi.
Temple kept the Gamecocks' lead within three points through a 9-8 score, but South Carolina scored four straight times to push past the Cherry and White by the score of 13-8.
S.C. finished off the set on a 3-0 run, getting kills by Whitesides and Alayna Johnson, and then one of three service aces on the evening by Sarah Jordan.
Davenport continued to lead the Owls offensively in the second set with another set-high five kills.

Set 3 (SC 25, TEM 16)

The Owls came out of the gate scoring the first four points, with a service ace from Mickhaila Murray and a kill from Davenport.
Down 4-0, the Gamecock scored four of the next five points getting a pair of kills from Anadi and one from Whitesides.
After the Owls broke the Gamecocks' serve, S.C. rallied to score 14 of the next 17 points to pull away for the eventual match win.
The graduate student Davenport was efficient in the final set with a set-high of seven kills while hitting .357.

Temple Leaders
Kills: Taylor Davenport – 16
Digs: Taylor Davenport – 8
Blocks: Taylor Davenport – 4
Assists: Lexi Yoza – 15

Up Next
The Owls will be in action on Saturday against the North Carolina Tar Heels at 3 p.m. No streaming will be available for the match but it can be found on StatBroadcast by clicking HERE.

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