Spring Break
Volleyball team faces road challenge
AMBER SHAW
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Last season, the Lady Bulldogs stunned the Lady Gamecocks in five sets in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, upsetting a squad that easily beat them two times during the regular season.
"Beating South Carolina was a huge game," said senior outside hitter Stacy Buerger. "We had lost to them two times in the regular season, and then we played them in the tournament and beat them in five games. So, that was a huge success."
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"We need to come out and give 100 percent," said junior outside hitter Jennifer Foytich. "We're really going to have to block against them because they are big hitters. We just need to motivate ourselves and get up for the game. We want to show them it wasn't just a fluke when we beat them last year."
For Georgia to beat the Lady Gamecocks, it must enjoy a blocking performance comparable to that in Wednesday night's
victory against Georgia Southern. Georgia outblocked the Lady
Eagles 11-3.
Senior middle blocker Kristine Keese, who had a breakout performance against South Carolina last season with 19 kills, needs to provide consistent blocks.
"I think the Georgia Southern game has prepared us to get back into the game momentum," Keese said. "South Carolina is at a different level, so we're going to have to work twice as hard."
Kim Christopher's Lady Gamecocks lead Georgia in digs per game (15.21-13.82), yet the Lady Bulldogs average 15.59 kills per game, one more than South Carolina.
High-flying Buerger, who led Georgia with 12 kills against Georgia Southern, should contribute significantly to the squad's offense in the match-up.
"There is going to be some serious rivalry going on this weekend -- but that's going to make it fun," Keese said. "Both teams have the same players (as last year), so we're going to have the same emotions. It's really going to be intense, and we are very excited."
However, with the exception of Michigan, the Lady Bulldogs haven't faced a team of South Carolina's caliber all
season.
Georgia's match-up against No. 15 Pepperdine at a tournament in Chapel Hill, N.C., was canceled because of last Tuesday's terrorist attacks.
"(South Carolina) is a top-20 program, so it's going to be a whole new ball game for us," said coach Mary Buczek. "Missing out on that North Carolina tournament hurt us in that regard, because we would have seen that level of competition there."
Unlike last year's squad, these Lady Bulldogs have proved they can win on the road, with a record of 2-1 going into this weekend.
"We beat them last year so we should feel confident," Buczek said. "But playing at South Carolina is tough -- that's a hostile environment."
