COLUMBIA, S.C. – Taylr McNeil tallied a match-high 15 kills and KoKo Atoa-Williams added nine as South Carolina completed a 25-14, 25-13, 25-20 victory over The Citadel at the Carolina Classic on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Gamecocks (10-2) posted a .404 attack percentage in the match, driving home 43 kills while committing just seven errors. Defensively, South Carolina also converted 48 digs, led by Micael Christiaansen's 14. USC tallied 16 assisted blocks, including five coming by Jacqy Angermiller.
 
The Citadel (5-9) was paced offensively by the tandem of Bailey Kernodle (11 kills) and Samantha Espy (eight). Kernodle's weekend, which included 32 kills, 21 digs, two service aces and a .207 attack percentage, earned her all-tournament honors for the second time in as many weeks. Ise d'Angelo was the bright spot on defense with a team-high eight digs.
 
The Bulldogs held tight with South Carolina early in the first set, using three Kernodle kills to force an eventual 10-all tie. The Gamecocks answered with a 10-3 run, highlighted by three kills each from Atoa-Williams and Taylr McNeil, as they assumed a 20-13 lead. A late Citadel timeout was not enough to deter the South Carolina offense, which completed the 11-point victory.
 
South Carolina's offense was clicking on all cylinders in the second set behind 13 kills and a .565 attack percentage. Darian Dozier sent a series of kills past The Citadel defense as the Gamecocks established a 15-9 lead in the early going. Taylr McNeil took over from that point, uncorking four of her game-high six kills, as the Cocks took a 2-0 lead.
 
The Citadel, behind the service game of Amanda Rudnik, responded to the challenge with a 4-0 lead early in the third set. South Carolina reacted by scoring 10 of the next 16 points to knot the match at 10. Two kills each from Taylr McNeill and Elizabeth Johnbull highlighted an 11-6 USC run that made for a 21-16 contest. The Bulldogs closed within three points on two occasions over the remainder of the set, but USC held on to complete the five-point win.
 
The Citadel returns home next weekend when it begins Southern Conference play against Mercer and Wofford. The Bulldogs host Mercer on Friday at 6 p.m. before squaring off with the rival Terriers on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.