SPARTANBURG, S.C.--The ninth-seeded USC Aiken women's tennis team (12-11) defeated the 11th seeded UNC Pembroke Lady Braves in the ninth-place match of the 2004 Peach Belt Conference Women's Tennis Tournament on Friday evening at the Reeves Tennis Center. 

The Lady Pacers, ranked 30th in NCAA Division II, finish the season over .500 for the first time since the 2001 season. The ninth-place finish at the PBC Tournament was also the best since USCA was ninth in 2001. 

USCA jumped out to an early 2-1 lead after doubles action concluded. Mayra Kaefer and Dominique Cassetori made quick work of UNCP's Stacey Wood and Erin Saltzman 8-1. Nicole Copp and Otavia Bastos, USCA's second seeded doubles team, blanked Natalie Dies and Abi French 8-0. 

In singles action, Cassetori downed Saltzman 6-1, 6-0 in the number two singles match. Bastos bettered French 6-1, 6-1 in the fourth-seeded match, while Elly Toth knocked of Lauren Losoncy 6-2, 6-4 in the fifth slot to seal the 5-1 win for the Lady Pacers. 

Match #21 -- Ninth Place in Women's Draw
USC Aiken defeats UNC Pembroke 5-1
Singles:
#1 Mayra Kaefer (USCA) vs. Stacey Wood (UNCP); Did Not Finish
#2 Dominique Cassetori (USCA) def. Erin Saltzman (UNCP); 6-1, 6-0
#3 Nicole Copp (USCA) vs. Natalie Dies (UNCP); Did Not Finish
#4 Otavia Bastos (USCA) def. Abi French (UNCP); 6-1, 6-1
#5 Elly Toth (USCA) def. Lauren Losoncy (UNCP); 6-2, 6-4
#6 Monica Budnichuk (USCA) vs. Shannon Gentry (UNCP); Did Not Finish

Doubles:
#1 Kaefer/Cassetori (USCA) def. Wood/Saltzman (UNCP); 8-1
#2 Copp/Bastos (USCA) def. Dies/French (UNCP); 8-0
#3 Losoncy/Gentry (UNCP) def. Toth/Heather Thornton (USCA); 8-6