South Carolina's Bates & Smith Garner #CCSABeachVB Weekly Awards

South Carolina's Bates & Smith Garner #CCSABeachVB Weekly Awards

LakePoint, Ga. – Following an impressive undefeated weekend against tough competition at the Gamecock Challenge, South Carolina's pair of Cadie Bates and Katie Smith garnered CCSA Beach Volleyball Pair of the Week honors, the league announced on Tuesday. 

Riding a winning streak coming into the weekend, the No. 2 pair opened the Gamecock Challenge with a straight-set victory against FGCU. The duo won convincingly 21-14, 21-12 to help the Gamecocks win the dual. Bates and Smith's signature win of the weekend came in the day one night cap against No. 3-ranked Hawai'i. After dominating the first set, 21-9, the Gamecock pairing had to battle in the third set. They won the thriller late in the third, 15-13 to pick up their fourth win against a nationall-ranked opponent this season. 

On day two of the Gamecock Challenge, the pair continued their winning streak with another straight-set victory against TCU. The duo won 21-16, 21-14 to move to 3-0 on the weekend. Bates and Smith closed out the weekend in style as they defeated UAB 21-12, 21-19 to give them a perfect 4-0 mark on the weekend and 9-1 record in their last 10 matches. 

The Gamecocks are headed to the Surf'N Turf event in Miami this weekend, where they will face TCU, No. 11 Grand Canyon, No. 13 FIU and No. 2 UCLA. Action begins on Friday and concludes on Saturday morning against the Bruins.      

CCSA Beach Volleyball Pair of the Week - Mar. 27th
Cadie Bates | Graduate Student | Temecula, Calif.
Katie Smith | Sophomore | West Chester, Ohio
- Posted a perfect 4-0 mark at the Gamecock Challenge playing on the No. 2 court 
- Opened weekend with straight-set 21-14, 21-12 win against FGCU
- Upset No. 3-ranked Hawai'i in thrilling three-set match 21-9, 15-21, 15-13 to go undefeated on first day
- Picked up another straight-set against TCU, 21-16, 21-14 to open second day of action
- Closed out Gamecock Challenge with third straight-set win of weekend, 21-12, 21-19 against UAB
- Duo has now posted four wins against nationally-ranked opponents after defeating No. 3 Hawai'i 

Other Nominees: Federica Frasca/Margherita Bianchin, FIU; Teegan Van Gunst/Annika Van Gunst, Georgia State; Claire Coppola/Kristen Nuss, LSU; Maddie Kline/Nicole Lott, UNCW; Madeline Mertz / Kaylie McHugh, Tulane University.

Date CCSA Pair of the Week
Feb. 27 Claire Coppola / Kristen Nuss, LSU
Mar. 6 Annika Van Gunst / Brooke Weiner, Georgia State
Mar. 13 Emmy Allen / Maddie Ligon, LSU
Mar. 20 Claire Coppola / Kristen Nuss, LSU
Mar. 27 Cadie Bates / Katie Smith, South Carolina