Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Gamecock Sports Schedule ■ Volleyball in Gamecock Tournament, Friday Sunday ■ Football vs. Eastern Michigan, Saturday, 7 p.m. ■ Women’s soccer vs. Iowa State, Sunday, 1 p.m. ■ Men’s soccer vs. Virginia Tech, Sunday," 3 p.m S - • - ,.,'T • - 1 ■ . Rpy, September 15, 2000 'Kilt ©afnECOCk Pace 13 Volleyball team continues success ■ Plummer leads Gamecocks to 3-0 victory over Tigers by Charles Tomlinson The Gamecock The USC women's volleyball team faced Clemson University on Sept. 13 and won what °lvas one of the most important and anticipated games of the year when they defeated their biggest in-state rival by the score of 3-0. USC's Cally Plummer, who missed last sea son due to shoulder surgery, announced her re turn with a resounding 10 kills, two aces, seven digs and six block assists. Sam Alban had eight kills and six block assists. Berna Dwyer contributed eight kills, and Mandy Quar terman had five kills. Megan Hosp had 28 as sists, four aces, two kills, seven digs and a block assist. Kiki Dallao and Jodi Steffes led the Tigers with five kills each. Steffes also had 10 digs. Jackie Dalleska led Clemson in block assists with five, and Meredith Kirtland had three. Jes si Betcher made eight assists. The scores were 15-5,15-Land 15-5. USC's team attacking percentage was .315, while Clemson was -0.10. This victory raises Car olina's season record to 5-3, while Clemson's record falls to 1-6. 1’ Last year, USC lost to Clemson 3-2. "When you win [against Clemson], you get to talk about it for a year,” Head Coach Kim Christopher said. "When you lose to Clemson, you have to live with it for 365 days, and we're glad that we don't have to live with it this year," Christo pher said. Christopher has led the Gamecocks to four wins against the Tigers in the last six meetings between the teams. "We were really motivated from last year's loss and we just wanted to come into the gym and beat them," Plummer said. "We just saw this as an opportunity to break through and turn some heads." in me iirsi game, me momentum immedi ately shifted in USC's direction as they soared to a 12-0 lead. Clemson returned to make the score 13-5. However, the Gamecocks returned to win the game 15-5. In game two, the Gamecocks dominated with a score of 7-0. The Tigers only scored one point during this game, and USC won 15-1. Game three initially seemed a bit more doubtful for Carolina. Possession of the ball switched back and forth quickly, and Clemson gained a 2-0 lead. However, Alban and Plum mer had three blocks in a row that started a streak for the Gamecocks. USC won with a final score of 15-5, with Alban contributing the final kill to win the game. "Once we got the momentum, the girls were very emotional," Christopher said. ii was an emotional matcn ior us. uur passing was much better tonight, and we were serving aggressively," Christopher concluded. "We focused a lot on our first contact. It was a great game, and Clemson did a great job. It’s just a great feeling. We came out this year and played hard and it paid off," Christopher said. USC’s next match is against Miami on Sept. 15 in the Gamecock Tournament, which will take place in Columbia, SC. On Sept. 16, USC will conclude the tournament with games against Sam Houston State and Rutgers. The sports desk can be reached at gamecocksports@hotmaiLcom. 1 -1 1_______:I Sean Rayford The Gamecock Sara Heri, defensive specialist for the Gamecock volleyball team, returns a serve in Wednesday night’s 3-0 victory over Clemson. ■ Team opens Gamecock Tournament against Miami (Ohio) Redhawks by Chris Foy The Gamecock Fresh off a huge win against Clem son and boasting a 5-3 record, the Uni versity of South Carolina's volleyball team will be hosting the Gamecock Tour nament this weekend. While the team spent Wednesday night celebrating their win over Clem son, they are fully aware of the challenge that awaits them. Head Coach Kim Christopher knows the need to celebrate their victory, but won't allow her team to be lost in it. "We're going to have to come down off of this win and refocus for the tour nament," Christopher said. USC will play Miami of Ohio at 7 p.m. tonight in the first match of the Game cock Invitational. Miami was 16-13 in 1999. "This is going to be a big match for us. We're going to need a big crowd to support us," Christopher said. Although this is a rebuilding year for Miami, the Redhawks are determined to recapture the glory for which the club is • noted. They have no seniors on the squad, and are led by their only returning starter, junior outside hitter Lee Ann Karr. Head coach Carolyn Condit, whose team has a 2-2 start in her 17th season, is looking to return Redhawks to their previous glo ry South Carolina will then play the Sam Houston State Bearcats Saturday at noon. The Sam Houston State volleyball team is also a team looking to get back on track. In the past seven years, the Bearcats have ap peared in two NCAA Division I national play offs. Head Coach Brenda Gray, in her 16th year with the club, is looking to get this team going after a 1 -4 start. The squad is led by Candy Collins, one of only six returning let i ter-winners. Collins was named MVP of the 1999 team. USC will finish the tournament playihg Rutgers at 4 p.m. Saturday. The Scarlet Knights are off to a good start for the season and have posted a 5-2 record. They are coached by Ann Leonard-House, who is in her seventh season at RU. The squad was 15-14 in 1999. The Scarlet Knights are led by Kera Carter and Megan Edwards. Al though they play in a tough division, many feel that the Scarlet Knights are an up-and-coming team in the Big East Conference. South Carolina is looking for this week end to not only prepare them for up coming SEC play, but to be another step in their quest for a SEC title. USC fin ished second in the SEC Eastern Divi sion last year and fourth in the overall conference after posting a 14-12 record. The Gamecocks are led by Cally Plum mer, who had a great night against Clem son Wednesday with 10 kills, two aces, seven digs and six block assists. She is joined by setter Megan Hosp and mid dle blocker Sam Alban. Hosp, who was named to the All Sports Volleyball Challenge last week end in the Michigan tournament, had 28 assists in Wednesday's game. Alban, who had the game-winning kill Wednes day, is ready for the tournament and is going to use the victory over the Tigers to push the Gamecocks through the week end. "Being able to play so well togeth er against Clemson has given us great momentum going into the weekend. It’s going to be a good one," Alban said. The sports desk can be reached at gamecocksports@hotmail.com. ---, Eastern Michigan senior wide receiver Kenny Christian shows his versatility with an option pass. USC prepares for EMU by Scott Bryan The Gamecock The only thing cocky at University of South Carolina is the mas cot. The football team is far from it. taking the season on a game-to game basis. “We’re not taking this game lightly. They are very capable of beating us. We’re taking this one game at a time, because this game is just as important as any other game, quarterback Phil Petty said. Just as important as the monumental first win over New Mexico State or the upset of nationally ranked Georgia? “A win is a win. Each win becomes bigger and bigger because our team gets better and better. Right now, we're 2-0. We don’t want to stop right there,” Petty said. After the last two years of dismal play, one would expect the Game cocks to at least brag a little. “There is no way we're going to get big heads. If we do, all we have to think about is last year." offensive tackle Melvin Paige said. But last year is history, and instead of thinking about history, the Gamecocks plan on making some. Standing in their way is an Eastern . Michigan foe that may deserve a second glance. The Eagles are sit ^ ting on a l-i record after a win over Connecticut and a loss to Miami. “We have a lot of work to do,” Eastern Michigan first-year head coach Jeff Woodruff said. “This will be a tough, intense week for us in practice. The NCAA limits us to 20 hours of practice a week, but we could use 40 hours if we could do it. We have a long way to go,” said Woodruff. Even in a loss, Eastern Michigan’s senior quarterback Walter Church posted a fine game, tossing 23 out of 43 completions for 228 yards and one touchdown. Coining into the season, Church amassed a total of 6,816 yards with 32 touchdown passes. “They're a real good football team. They have a very good quar terback who can throw for a lot of yards,” Petty said of his signal-call FOOTBALL sec page 15 ‘There is no way we’re going to get big heads. If we do, all we have to think about is last year.’ Melvin Paige Offensive Tackle Gamecock assistant athletic director leaving university by Charles Prash-aw The Gamecock He has been here for six years and lias worked behind the scenes on most of the athletic programs at USC, but af ter October 2, Associate Director of Ath letics Dan Radakovich is leaving to take over the athletic director’s position at American University. “It was such a great opportunity for me to become the AD at America University. It has been a goal of mine since I started in athletics to become a director one day.” Radakovich said. “I think it’s going to be a great opportu nity for myself and my family to move up there.” According to Assistant Athletic Di rector Kerry Tharp, Radakovich’s posi tion at USC involved directing the fi nancial operations for a $30 million athletic department, representing the athletic department on various univer sity and community committees and co ordinating activities involving home events and operations staff. “I’m happy for him. It’s a good move, careerwise and professionally,” Tharp said. “There are definitely going to be some big shoes to fill around here. His position was very important to the department.” For now, Radakovich’s position will remain open until USC Athletic Direc tor Mike McGee personally picks a re placement. Radakovich said the thing he will miss most about USC is not being able to see the arena project he and many others worked on get completed. “There was so much here at USC and in the Midlands community that I will miss. Of course, it was a hard de cision to make,” Radakovich said. “We have such a solid base for success at USC that it is just a matter of time before the university becomes known through-out the country as having a great athletics department.” American University, founded in Washington D.C. in 1893, has about 12,000 enrolled students and fields nine teen NCAA Division I teams. Accord ing to Radakovich, the university is mov ing from the Colonial League to the Patriot League in the 2001-02 season. “While this might present some chal ■ lenges when I get on the job, I think it will be great for AU,” Radakovich said. Also according to Radakovich, A'U needs to work on building new facilities and put together a more organized de partment. Vice President for Development A1 Checcio, who oversees athletics and led the search at AU, said that Radakovich would replace Lee McElroy, who left AU in July to become Athletic Direc tor at SUNY-Albaiiy. AU President Benjamin Lander re leased this statement to the press early this week. “I am pleased to welcome Radakovich as AU’s new Director of Athletics,” Lander said. “His manage ment experience at successful Division I programs will bring a high level of so phistication and a competitive profile to our athletics program.” The sports desk can he reached at gamecocksports@hotmail.com.