Box Score GREENWOOD, S.C.--Rebounding from a sluggish start, the USC Aiken Lady Pacers (11-5, 1-1 PBC) controlled play in games two through four to post a 3-1 win over the Lander Bearcats (6-8, 1-1 PBC) in Peach Belt Conference volleyball on Saturday afternoon at Horne Arena. Game scores were 27-30, 30-20, 30-21, and 30-17. USCA improves to 11-2 all-time versus Lander.
Senior
Jenny Lloyd registered a match-high 21 kills for the Lady Pacers giving her 17 career matches with 20+ kills, eclipsing the Peach Belt Conference record of 16 set by Augusta State's Nicole Smith (1993-94). Her 75 career double figure kill matches is also a PBC record, besting Jennifer Grande's (Francis Marion) total of 72 set from 1993-96.
Freshman
Mandy Gerolstein paced the USCA attack with a career-high tying 14 kills to go with two service aces and a .444 hitting percentage.
Veronica Seidle added 11 kills and 16 digs.
Laura Williams hit .500 with 10 kills while
Missy Deardorff was the fifth Lady Pacer in double figures in kills with 10 to go with two solo blocks. As a team, USCA hit .307 for the match while holding Lander to .094.
Kelly Leary led the Bearcats with 15 kills and 16 digs. Sara Senn was also in double figures with 10 kills and three service aces.
With a 12-12 tie in game one, Lander scored eight of the next 11 points to take a 20-15 lead. A pair of Seidle kills drew the Lady Pacers within one point, but the Bearcats responded with a 7-1 run to take a 27-20 advantage and hold off a late Lady Pacer rally for the 30-27 win.
In game two, USC Aiken never trailed and the score was tied just once at 1-1. A 5-0 spurt early on made it 13-6 and gave the Lady Pacers some breathing room. Another 4-0 run midway through game two off the serve of
Brandi Gayle pushed the lead to double digits at 21-11 as the Lady Pacers went on to the 30-20 win.
Another early run in game three put the Lady Pacers in front to stay. Gerolstein and Seidle each tallied a pair of kills as the advantage grew to 9-5. With Lander trailing 21-14, an 8-2 run highlighted by two Williams' kills put the game away 29-16.
In the decisive game four, the Lady Pacers' got some help from their star, Lloyd. After recording 12 kills and 12 errors through three games, Lloyd found her rhythm notching nine kills and zero errors on 13 attacks for a .692 hitting percentage. USCA led early 10-3 following an 8-1 run and then a late 6-0 run put the game away 28-15.
USC Aiken, which snapped a four-match road losing streak, will play at Augusta State on Wednesday, September 29 at 7:00 PM in a Peach Belt Conference showdown. The Lady Pacers lead the series with their arch rivals 24-6.
