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_Sports_ No. 300 doesn't come easily for USC's Christopher by David Cloninger and Kevin McCrarey Gamecock Sports The South Carolina volleyball team couldn’t take advantage of its homecourt advantage over the weekend, letting a victory over No. 21 -ranked Michigan slip through its grasp and finishing second over all in the Carolina Classic tournament. USC won its other two tournaments this season and came in ex pecting to duplicate that feat at the Classic, which was intended to feature Michigan, Virginia and Connecticut. The Connecticut team was a no-show for the tournament, thanks to rain from Hurricane Floyd. The Gamecocks went into the Friday night match against the La dy Wolverines looking for head coach Kim Christopher’s 300th ca reer win, but that effort was spoiled by the Wolverines, who won the match in five games, 11-15,10-15,17-15,16-14,15-11. It was a story of blown opportunities for the Gamecocks, as they failed to put away the Wolverines after winning the first two games. Carolina ultimately served on match point six times, but failed to come up with the point needed to take the match. After battling back from a 10-3 deficit in the third game, the Game cocks m.naged to take a 15-14 lead, but could not capitalize. Still, it appeared that they had the match in hand, as they went up 14-10 in Game 4, but again couldn’t finish off Michigan. Christopher was proud of the team’s effort, but still disappoint ed that the team couldn’t pull off the upset. “We all feel we let one get away we should have won,” she said. “You look at the stats, and we beat them in almost every category.” Despite the loss, Christopher remained optimistic after the team’s strong performance against a ranked opponent. “We had some great moments where we played very well... you could see we are going to be a good volleyball team,” she said. USC proved its coach’s words Sunday, manhandling the Virginia Cavaliers with a 3-0 sweep, clinching Christopher’s 300th win and improving its record to 64 along the way. Although the Gamecocks hit an anemic .145 for the game, they managed to win behind the strong play of freshman Bema Dwyer and senior Danika Taylor. Dwyer collected 12 kills for the match, while Taylor had 10. Dwyer also had 16 digs. The Gamecocks streaked to a 9-1 lead in Game 1 before Vir ginia woke up. The Cavs tied USC at 13, but a serve from freshman Megan Hosp was mishandled, and the Gamecocks won, 15-13. After falling behind 3-1 in Game 2, USC sophomore Liz Price came off the bench to pull her team ahead with four straight points. With Carolina leading 9-6, senior captain and co-all-toumament mem ber Crystal Moore reeled off six straight to clinch the win, 15-6. Game 3 featured junior Mandy Quaterman seeing a rare start and making the most of it by hitting .250 and getting three kills, propelling the Gamecocks to their third straight win over an ACC team, 15-11. Hosp was named to the All-Toumament team with Moore, con tinuing her pivotal play in her first season. “Bema’s family was here this weekend, and she played well in front of them,” Christopher said. “Megan continues to grow as the setter in every match, and Crystal shows everyone match in and match out why she is a good leader.” USC will start SEC play against Kentucky at 7 p.m. Friday at the Volleyball Competition Facility. Impotent offense dooms USC again by Bryan Della Volpe Staff Writer Is it possible to have more than one Achilles heel? How about three? If so, the Gamecocks surely do. After falling to East Carolina, USC is 0-3, marking the second time coach Lou Holtz has started a season with three losses. The last was’in 1970, when Holtz coached at William & Mary. For USC, inconsistency on offense, turnovers and the poor play of special teams have all contributed to early-season woes, and all were brought to light ; against ECU. For starters, the offense is ranked dead last in the SEC. The Gamecocks are averaging a scant four points per game. Carolina’s men’s soccer team scored as many points in its game the day before, beating Air Force, 3 0. Inconsistency has been a big factor. The Game cocks haven’t been able to sustain long drives, nor have they capitalized on good field position. Case in point, on the second drive of the East Carolina game, the USC offense had only to go 36 yards to score. The Game cocks made it to the ECU 17, but were forced to set tle for a field goal, which would make for their only points of the game. Turnovers have killed USC so far in the young sea son. Quarterback Phil Petty raised his interception to tal to six on the season by throwing three balls to ECU defenders. Normally, six interceptions in three games could have a quarterback on thin ice. “[Phil’s] still the starter,” Holtz said, “but the way I feel right now, as tired as I am about the turnovers, [quarterbacks] get to three and they sit.” Various special-teams units have also dragged down the Gamecocks, as several blunders have already re sulted in 14 points scored by opposing defenses. Just as the blocked punt against North Carolina State was a key change in momentum in that game, on Satur day night, another botched play gave East Carolina sev en points and a momentum swing. Instead of getting the ball in ECU territory after a good punt return by Boo Williams, a USC penalty al lowed ECU to punt again. This time, punter Andrew Bayes sent a long, high drive deep into Gamecock ter ritory, which Williams decided to field it on his own 1-yard line. But Williams dropped the ball, and it rolled into the end zone, where it was scooped up by the Pi rates’ Kevin Monroe for the first score of the game and a 7-0 lead for the Pirates. Holtz’s words afterward only reiterated what now appears to be obvious. “We must eliminate mistakes in the kicking game,” he said. “Somebody has to make a play.” vcu from page 10 “This was a solid win for us. Now, we just need to maintain our level of play,” Kelly said. The team has high hopes looking ahead to Friday’s game against Arkansas. “We’re very optimistic about it,” Bienias said, “and we know that we need to go out hard for the first 10 ■ minutes and stay strong for the rest of the game.” With the Razoibacks, a likely fac tor in the upcoming SEC tournament, up next, and then LSU on Sunday, the Lady Gamecocks (4-2) have a tough weekend ahead. “We’re just going to -train very hard this week,” Lamb said. “And if we can come out of next weekend with two wins, that would be great.” Football from page 10 Other than the Gamecocks’ new uni forms, new coaching staff and new video screen on the scoreboard, USCfans like ly experienced an uncanny feeling of de javu. “I feel terrible for our fans. I mean, these people are the most supportive in the world,” Holtz said “Right now, I’d »lay down in front of a bus for them if I thought it would make a difference.” Wallace from page 10 myself into?” Well, coach, you are now a part of a very exclusive fraterni ty, an organization where no matter what you do wrong or how bad the deed is, its members will get angry. But most of the time, they will stay by your side. With arguably the best facilities, fan support and administration in the country, there is no reason why USC doesn’t have a top-notch program. The only thing Carolina lacks is tradition. And that, in this day and time, can be changed. One day, Carolina will have a suc cessful football program. It will just take some time. I’m convinced it won’t be while I’m still at this school, but someday I want to he glad that I’m in this relationship. Be cause most of the time, I wonder what in the world I’ve gotten myself into. I will always be a Gamecock fan, although I don’t know how much more my heart can take. But I’ll al ways cheer for my team, no matter how bad it gets. It’s in my blood. Lffl_GE_ Apply on the web and get up to 'SB of , FREE calling time.' • *5 of FREE calling time just for applying. • Apply on the internet and get an additional •15 of FREE calling time when you make your first purchase. (*5 if you apply hv ohone.l • Get a 3% rebate towards calling on all purchases.1 • No annual fee. • No credit history \ » .flPPLV TBBffiVl www.gtecard.com or 1-888-591-7900 * Calling time will automatically be credited to your GTE Calling Card account. +When you carry a balance from month to month. Call our toll-free number or visit our web site for complete disclosure of terms and conditions. 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Russell House University Union Priority Reservations for January - July 2000 Priority I: University Wide Event.September 22,1999 (See definition on page 97 in the Carolina Community) Priority II: Carolina Productions.September 24,1999 (See definition on page 97 in the Carolina Community) Priority III: Hegistered Student Urganizations.September 28,1999 (See information below about the Lottery on Sept. 28,1999) Priority IV: other.October 1,1999 (Academic Departments or administrative units or other student organizations as designated in the Carolina Community, page 95) NOtO: Academic Space will not be reserved until January 24, 2000 See definition on page 95 in the Carolina Community) **Lottery September 28,1999** Lottery September 28,1999** Because of high demand for room usage in the Russell House a “lottery” system is used to ensure equitable distribution of space to registered student organizations. The highest level of demand is for Ballroom reservations, however, the lottery system will apply to all reservable spaces in the Russell House. Worthen, Gamecocks shut out Air Force, 3-0 by Kyle Almond Staff Writer The USC’s men’s soccer team im proved its record to 4-1 -1 after dispatch ing Air Force in Friday’s Providence Kick off Classic. Senior forward John Harr scored two goals and fellow attacker Joey Worthen added a goal of his own as the Gamecocks rolled over the Falcons, 3-0. The game had little offense until Wbrthen’s header in the 15th minute bare ly missed, catching the top crossbar. But Harr was there to blast in the rebound and put the Gamecocks on the board. . Worthen, a sophomore forward from Salt Lake City, continued to get quality chances, frequently beating the Air Force defense and forcing the opposing goalie to make tough saves. He led Carolina with four shots on goal in the game. His persistence paid off when fres man Rodney Perry found him wide open deep in Air Force territory at the 32-minute mark. Wforthen took advantage and buried the ball in the far right comer of the net, giving USC a commanding 2-0 lead at halftime. South Carolina was outshot in the sec ond half, 8-2, but it still managed to score another goal. Harr then scored on a break away, his fourth goal of the season, off a pass from Tony Vitagliano. “I think we are settling in defen sively,” USC coach Mark Berson said, “and I think we’re also continuing to at tack well. “I think Air Force is a team, year in and year out, that is in the NCAA playoff picture, so this is an important win for us,” Berson added. Carolina’s next game is at home against William & Mary on Wednesday. In the next couple of weeks, USC faces stiff competition in St. John’s, Furman, and Rutgers, teams ranked in the top 25 of major soccer polls. 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