Box Score AIKEN, S.C.--In a matchup of two of the teams in the hunt for a Peach Belt Conference volleyball championship, USC Upstate (13-5, 2-0 PBC) claimed an early season win over USC Aiken (6-8, 1-1 PBC) 3-2 on Saturday afternoon. The Spartans rallied from a 2-1 deficit for their 11th win in the last 14 meetings with the Lady Pacers. Game scores were 30-26, 18-30, 25-30, 30-21, and 15-9. (MANDY GEROLSTEIN PICTURED)

Lindsey Graue hit .298 with a match-high 19 kills, to go with two blocks, to lead USC Upstate. Mandy Rupert and Jennifer Joraskie each added 10 kills for the Spartans while Erin Hagemann tallied 22 digs. 

Sophomore middle hitter Mandy Gerolstein led the Lady Pacers with 18 kills and six blocks hitting .486. Missy Deardorff added 15 kills while Laura Williams, the reigning PBC Player of the Week, chipped in 13 kills and three blocks. Setter Rachel Dalitz recorded 39 assists, 14 digs, and four service aces despite missing much of game three following a collision with teammate Amanda Timm. 

Game one started hot for USCA with three-straight aces by Dalitz to open the match. Facing a 9-5 deficit, however, the Spartans battled back to take a 10-9 advantage on a Shannon Pallardy kill. The game was tied 10 more times until a 9-3 run by USC Upstate turned a 23-21 Lady Pacer lead into a 30-26 game one win for the Spartans. 

Freshman Katie Baker came off the bench midway through game two to spark the Lady Pacers. Trailing 10-8, Baker served up two aces and had two kills during an 8-0 run as USCA charged in front 16-10 and pulled away to the 30-18 win. 

USC Aiken went in front 2-1 after taking game three 30-25 thanks in part to five kills from Williams and four each from Gerolstein and Baker. 

In game four, USC Upstate used a pair of early 4-0 spurts to create steady separation, pushing the bulge to 18-11 on Rupert's kill and posting the 30-21 win. 

The fifth and final game opened to the tune of a 4-1 Lady Pacer edge, but following a Spartan timeout, USC Upstate promptly tied the game at 4-4. After switching sides with Upstate leading 8-6, an attacking error made it a one-point game 8-7. But a 4-0 run to close the match keyed by two of Brittany Harry's five aces on the afternoon sealed the match 15-9. 

USC Aiken out hit the Spartans .163 to .116, but hit a negative .045 in the crucial game five. 

USC Aiken will host rival Augusta State on Wednesday, September 28 at 7:00 PM in a Peach Belt Conference contest. USC Upstate travels to Greenwood, S.C. to face Lander on Wednesday at 7:00 PM.

Short Box Score (Match)
USC Upstate vs USC Aiken (Sep 24, 2005 at Aiken, S.C.)
USC Upstate def. USC Aiken 30-26,18-30,25-30,30-21,15-9

USC Upstate (13-5, 2-0 PBC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Graue, Lindsey 19-0-2; Joraskie, Jennifer 10-0-2; Rupert, Mandy 10-0-0; Mrowczynski, Lauren 7-0-5; Kunz, Kristen 3-0-3; Leslie, Jenna 1-0-0; Pallardy, Shannon 1-2-1; Harry, Brittany 0-5-0; Bush, Haley 0-1-0; Hagemann, Erin 0-1-0; Mauldin, Holly 0-1-0; Totals 51-10-7.5. (Assists) - Pallardy, Shannon 34. (Dig leaders) - Hagemann, Erin 22; Rupert, Mandy 15; Pallardy, Shannon 10.

USC Aiken (6-8, 1-1 PBC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Gerolstein, Mandy 18-0-6; Deardorff, Missy 15-0-2; Williams, Laura 13-0-3; Baker, Katie 8-3-0; Seidle, Veronica 7-1-0; Dalitz, Rachel 3-4-1; Durham, Stefanie 2-0-0; Barcas, Cheryl 0-1-0; Timm, Amanda 0-2-2; Johnson, Hayden 0-1-0; Totals 66-12-10.0. (Assists) - Dalitz, Rachel 39; Barcas, Cheryl 15. (Dig leaders) - Seidle, Veronica 21; Johnson, Hayden 20; Dalitz, Rachel 14; Timm, Amanda 10; Durham, Stefanie 10; Baker, Katie 9.

Site: Aiken, S.C. (The Courthouse)
Date: Sep 24, 2005 Attend: 70 Time: 2:14