COLUMBIA, S.C. --- Brianna Starr (Blue Springs, Mo.) and Tyler Cockrell (Tulsa, Okla.) each tallied nine kills, and Tyra Montour (Kennesaw, Ga.) added eight of her own as Gardner-Webb fell to South Carolina in three sets in its season opener on Friday evening at the Gamecock Invitational.

South Carolina (1-0) won the match by scores of 25-15, 25-19, and 25-21, as the Gamecocks attacked at a .238 clip in the contest while holding Gardner-Webb (0-1) to a attacking percentage of .144. The Gamecocks collected 10 blocks on the night while Gardner-Webb tallied 39 digs in the contest.

Starr and Cockrell led the attack for Gardner-Webb with nine kills each, as Montour added eight kills of her own to go along with an attacking clip of .500. Anna Pashkova (Iowa City, Iowa) recorded a match-high 14 digs to open the season, as Starr dug out eight attacks of her own. Heather Feldman (Eden, N.Y.) dished out 28 assists on the night.

Taylr McNeil paced the Gamecock attack with 16 kills and a .419 attacking clip, as Sarah Blomgren and KoKo Atoa-Williams each chipped in six smashes. Mikael Christiaansen posted 13 digs, as Taylr McNeil nearly tallied a double-double with nine digs. Darian Dozier, Jacqy Angermiller, and Blomgren each recorded five block assists.

The Gamecocks jumped out to an early 12-5 lead in the first set on a tandem block by Dozier and Kellie McNeil, before pushing the advantage to 19-9 with a block from Angermiller and Williams. Gardner-Webb quickly trimmed the margin to 20-13 with a 4-1 spurt, which was capped by a Montour smash. South Carolina countered with five of the next seven points to close out the set on a kill by Taylr McNeil.

Gardner-Webb battled back in the second set, taking a 17-15 advantage following a tandem block by Montour and Kaelyn Dyson (Holly Springs, N.C.) and a kill by Starr. South Carolina would answer with a 6-1 spurt, claiming a 21-18 lead before closing out the frame with a block by Dozier and Blomgren.

The Runnin' Bulldogs hung with the Gamecocks throughout the third frame, staying with four points for the duration of the set and cutting the lead to 17-16 with a 3-0 spurt, which included kills by Dyson and Starr, as well as a tandem block by Dyson and Sophia Esposito (Coraopolis, Pa.). South Carolina countered with a four-point swing of its own, pushing the margin to 21-16 before capping the set and the match on a smash by Williams.

Gardner-Webb is back in action on Saturday for the final day of the Gamecock Invitational, taking on Georgia Tech at 10 a.m. and Jacksonville at 4 p.m.