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COLUMBIA, S.C. - The Kennesaw State volleyball team came out ready to play in Sunday's non-conference finale, pushing South Carolina to the limits in the opening sets, but the Owls could not gain the advantage falling to the Gamecocks in three sets, 25-20, 31-29, 25-16. 
 
How it Happened: After trading points to open the match, USC (7-4) took the lead behind a 3-0 run, 8-6. The two squads proceeded to go point-for-point until a USC error and a kill from Emma Schurfranz pulled the Owls (7-5) within one, 17-16. That would be as close as KSU would get as the Owls could not break through the one-point deficit before a 4-1 swing gave South Carolina a 25-20 set victory.
 
The two squads traded runs to open the second set with USC in front 12-9. The Owls did their best to get back into it, but South Carolina had an answer for each run, eventually earning set point 24-19. Refusing to quit, KSU fought off four straight set points, going on a 6-0 run to take a 25-24 lead. Lauren Chastang and Schurfranz recorded three and two kills, respectively, during the run to keep the Owls alive. Neither team backed down as the two squads traded set points tied at 29-29. USC finally broke the deadlock with a kill and an ace to steal the second set, 31-29.
 
The Owls continued that momentum into the third set, racing out to a 7-1 lead capped off by two kills from Chastang sandwiched around a kill from Quin Sutphin. South Carolina responded with a 6-0 run of its own to tie the match back up at 7-7. The Gamecocks then seized control of the set with a 9-0 run to lead 17-10. The Owls attempted to rally once again, but USC managed to keep KSU at arm's length the rest of the set, going on to win 25-16.
 
Notes: Lauren Chastang led the way with 15 kills, adding seven digs and a season-high four blocks, one shy of her career-high … Emma Schurfranz recorded her sixth match this season with double-digit kills, logging 12 … Schurfranz hit a blistering .579 for the match, her third match this year hitting above .400 … Quin Sutphin added nine kills and four blocks … with a team-high 15 digs in the match, Karlee Groover has recorded double-digit digs in all but one match this year … South Carolina hit .358 for the match marking only the second time this season a team has hit .300 or better against the Owls.

Quotes: Head Coach Keith Schunzel
On today's match...
"We left too many points on the table to win that match today. We had some really nice moments and showed a ton of resilience in set two, but the overall level of consistency and opportunistic moments wasn't there. It's something we're talking about with the team a lot right now. We have to be better taking advantage when opportunitites present themselves and we have to be better when we're not playing well." 

On wrapping up non-conference play...
"Our pre-conference schedule was as challenging and fun as we had hoped and wanted it to be. It made us compete every single night, it made us stronger, it exposed some weaknesses and we came out better for it. For us to be 7-5 going into conference play with that kind of schedule means that we have a dang good ball club. We're excited to get ASUN play started on Tuesday."

Up Next: The Owls will have to shake it off quick as they open ASUN play Tuesday afternoon at NJIT at 1 p.m.