Mississippi’s Nakeyta Clair celebrates after an Ole Miss point during an NCAA college volleyball game against LSU in Oxford, Miss., Monday, Oct. 20, 2014. FILE PHOTO: CADY HERRING
Coming off of two losses in Southeastern Conference play, the Rebels knew that the match-up against the South Carolina Gamecocks here in Oxford would have a lot of meaning.
The Rebels started the match strong with a kill by junior Nakeyta Clair and an ace from senior Cara Fisher, taking the lead 2-0. Clair’s back-to-back kills put the Rebels up at 6-0 before South Carolina could get on the scoreboard.
The Gamecocks seemed to pick up momentum late in the set and closed the Rebels lead to only three points at 21-18. After an attack error on South Carolina, the Rebels took set one 25-19.
The Rebels got off to a similar start in set two, taking the lead 2-0. After a couple of blocks by South Carolina, the match was tied 9-9, but the Rebels would quickly regain the lead. With a kill by junior Ty Laporte, the Rebels would take set two.
The Gamecocks took their first lead of the match at the beginning of set three, but this did not discourage the Rebels. After a kill from freshmen Lexi Thompson and an ace from sophomore Aubrey Edie to make the Rebels’s lead 18-14, South Carolina took a timeout to regroup. Sophomore Melanie Crow sealed the Rebels’s victory with a kill to take set three 25-20, sweeping the Gamecocks 3-0. The Rebels advanced to 19-5 overall and to 5-5 in SEC play.
After a loss to LSU and the team’s first loss at home to Tennessee, head coach Steven McRoberts talked about how the team prepared for the Gamecocks.
“Every match, you’ve just got to be ready to play. We had a good week of preparation and mentally getting away from the game for a few days. It’s nice to start the second half of SEC play with a win,” McRoberts said.
With 17 kills at .467 percent, this was one of Nakeyta Clair’s most dominant performances in Southeastern Conference play.
“It was a great feeling to be able to beat them in three (sets),” Clair said.
After a loss at South Carolina 3-2 earlier in the season, Clair talked about the team’s mindset going into the match.
“If we can play with those girls to five at their house, just imagine what we can do at our own house. We went in with the mindset that this is our home court,” Clair said.
Clair talked about the difference in her performance today and in the last few games.
“I just think I got my groove back,” she said.
The Rebels will travel to Mississippi State University on Wednesday to take on the Bulldogs.
“They’re playing a lot better than they were when they came here. We know that we’re going into a crazy environment, and I think we will have to play better than we did today to get a win there,” McRoberts said.
Clair talked about the upcoming rivalry game.
“It’s always exciting to play State because of the rivalry. We’re ready. Even though we have to go to Starkville, we’re ready to play,” she said.
