Alabama
9-5,1-4SEC
South Carolina
8-7,1-4SEC
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 17 | 25 | 14 | 22 | 1 |
| Alabama | 25 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Alabama Secures First SEC Win Taking Down South Carolina
10/9/2026 9:35:00 PM | Volleyball
The Crimson Tide was led by Laney Hennessee’s 16 kills as she hit .433
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama volleyball team (9-5, 1-4 SEC) picked up its first victory in conference play, winning in four sets against South Carolina (8-7, 1-4 SEC) on Friday night at Foster Auditorium.
The Crimson Tide found itself even with the Gamecocks at one-set apiece but pulled through late in sets three and four to secure the win at home. Alabama had three players record double-digit kills, as the team collectively finished with a .255 hitting percentage, its best in SEC play so far.
Laney Hennessee led the way with a team-high 16 kills, followed by Kaleigh Palmer with 13 and Mya Allen with 10. Hannah Parant had a solid performance as well, totaling 34 assists and eight digs. Ashby Daniel made a big impact off the bench with a season-high six blocks.
While Alabama's offense was firing on all cylinders, its defense continued to play great, holding the Gamecocks to a .150 hitting percentage including a -.160 mark in set three. The Tide finished with nine blocks on the night.
From Head Coach Rashinda Reed
"It feels amazing. These ladies have been working so hard for that, and we knew that we were right there on the bubble, and it was really nice to see them execute, stay focused, not rattled, and I'm just incredibly proud."
"Georgia's a really talented team. I know that they're doing some really nice things in the conference, and I feel like we just need to continue to play our game. I know it's going to be a battle. I really don't know exactly what's going to happen, but if we continue to bring our game, eliminate some of those unforced errors on our side, you never know what's going to happen. I think it'll be a great match."
Highlights
- Laney Hennessee led the team in kills while hitting .433
- Ashby Daniel recorded a team-high and season-high six blocks
- The Crimson Tide totaled eight aces compared to South Carolina's one
- Alabama finished with nine total blocks
- The Crimson Tide held the Gamecocks to a .150 hitting percentage
- Kaleigh Palmer was one kill away from matching her season-high of 14
Stat Leaders
- Kills: Laney Hennessee – 16
- Assists: Hannah Parant - 34
- Digs: Hannah Parant - 8
- Blocks: Ashby Daniel - 6
- Aces: Tea Simic - 3
Set-by-Set Scores
- Set 1: Alabama 25, South Carolina 17
- Set 2: South Carolina 25, Alabama 22
- Set 3: Alabama 25, South Carolina 14
- Set 4: Alabama: 25, South Carolina: 22
Up Next
- Sunday, Oct. 11 vs. Georgia – Tuscaloosa, Ala. – 2 p.m. CT
How It Happened
Early in the first set, Tea Simic recorded two aces to bring Alabama's lead to 8-3 and force a South Carolina timeout. Following the timeout, the Crimson Tide continued to be strong offensively and led, 15-12, entering the media timeout. Laney Hennessee had three kills after the break and helped Alabama take the first set, 25-17.
In set two, Alabama and South Carolina went back and forth trading points to an 11-11 score. The Crimson Tide then scored four unanswered points to take a 15-11 lead at the media timeout. South Carolina stormed back later in the set and tied things up at 18-18 before eventually taking a 22-19 lead forcing Alabama to talk things over. The Gamecocks went on to win set two, 25-22.
With the sets tied 1-1, South Carolina took an early advantage in the third, but the Tide quickly fought from behind and regained the lead. Alabama went on a 5-0 scoring run sparked by a block by Lily Gervase and Hannah Parant. After the media timeout, back-to-back blocks by Kaleigh Palmer and Ashby Daniel electrified the crowd as the Tide gained momentum. Daniel's second kill of the match ended the set with Alabama winning, 25-14.
In the fourth and final set, the Gamecocks led 9-5 with four unanswered points early. The Tide stayed unfazed and went on to tie the match at 11-11. Shortly after, Alabama went on a five-point run, led by Parant with a kill and an ace, making the score 16-12. South Carolina didn't go away, coming back to tie the set at 21-all. Alabama responded well and won the set and the match after Hennessee notched the final three kills.
