SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Back inside the friendly confines of the G.B. Hodge Center facing its final non-conference match of the 2024 season, USC Upstate volleyball extended its winning streak to five—the longest such streak under head coach Ali Skayhan—with its third straight sweep, downing South Carolina State in straight sets Tuesday evening.
 
The Spartans controlled the match from the outset, seeing seven ties and two lead changes during its duration with Upstate trailing just once en route to its third consecutive straight-set victory. Upstate's streak of sweeps marks its longest such streak since sweeping six straight matches spanning the end of the 2020 and the beginning of the 2021 seasons.
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 3; South Carolina State 0 (25-19; 25-15; 25-9)
Records: USC Upstate (5-8; 0-0 Big South); South Carolina State (1-9; 0-0 MEAC)
Location: G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
How It Happened
Setting the tone for the match in the first set and hanging its hat on its stingy floor defense—the team's standout unit during its five-match winning streak—Upstate scooped up 24 of its 55 total digs in the opening set, the match's high-water mark for team digs. The Spartans averaged 18.3 digs per set on the night, giving the team its fifth straight match recording 18.0 or more digs per set, comprising each victory in the team's current winning streak.
 
Proving why she's a three-time winner and two-time defending Big South Libero of the Week, senior libero Julia Gladhill made her presence felt along the Spartans' backline, picking up 20-plus digs in a three-set match for the second time this season, becoming the lone league libero with two such matches in 2024. She finished the night with 22 balls plucked up, collecting nine, eight, and five digs, respectively, in the three sets.
 
Another Spartan entering the match as a defending weekly award winner (twice Setter of the Week and four-time Freshman of the Week), freshman setter Kamyla Vega David recorded her sixth straight match with 35-plus assists, closing the night with 37 helpers. She led Upstate's offense to a .330 team hitting efficiency, the team's second consecutive match hitting .330 or better.
 
Heading the offense attack, reigning Big South Player of the Week, graduate student outside hitter Allison Palmi accrued a match-high 12 kills, doing so behind a .286 hitting efficiency. Each of the Spartans' five primary attackers finished the match with six or more kills in a balanced offensive night.
 
Notable

• Picking up its third consecutive sweep, Upstate improved its winning streak to five matches, the longest winning streak under head coach Ali Skayhan. The streak marks the program's longest winning streak since taking six straight matches from the 2020 to 2021 seasons.
• The Spartans' three straight sweeps also mark the longest such streak for the program since its aforementioned six-match winning streak during the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
• Averaging 18.3 digs per set against South Carolina State, Upstate has averaged 18.0 or more digs per set in each match of its winning streak.
• Entering the match in set three, freshman defensive specialist Brielle Ellis made her USC Upstate debut. She registered one of Upstate's five service aces.

 
Up Next for the Spartans
With the non-conference portion of the team's slate closed Upstate turns its attention to Big South play, opening the league slate Friday evening. The Spartans renew the Ingles I-26 Rivalry Series against UNC Asheville with first serve set for 6 p.m. ET.
 
Connect with the Spartans 
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics 
Twitter | @UpstateVB | @UpstateSpartans 
Instagram | @UpstateVB | @UpstateSpartans 
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
 
INVEST IN CHAMPIONS - Join the Upstate Athletic Fund (UAF) and enjoy enhanced benefits for your support of all USC Upstate programs! Make your gift today, click here!
 
MORGAN SQUARE MADNESS (Oct. 3, 2024) - Click here for info on South Carolina's only FREE, open to the public, outdoor basketball tip-off party!  Click here for details for all of Family and Alumni Weekend at USC Upstate, Oct. 3-5!