Box Score AIKEN, S.C.-- After winning nine-straight matches to conclude September, USC Aiken (14-3) jumped out to a great start in October, overcoming a game one loss to cruise past The Citadel (2-16) 28-30, 30-14, 30-19, 30-25 Tuesday afternoon at McAllister Fieldhouse. (PHOTO BY: Scott Webster)
The Lady Pacers' ten-straight wins are the program's most since the 1996 squad equaled that feat. It was USCA's first-ever meeting with the Bulldogs and their third-straight victory over a Division I opponent.
USC Aiken was also slated to play Savannah State, another Division I school, Tuesday in Charleston, but the match was cancelled.
The match did not start off well for USCA as The Citadel pulled out a back-and-forth affair that featured 13 ties and six lead changes. With the game tied 28-28, the host Bulldogs took the last two points to take game one.
It was a balanced attack that proved to be the difference the rest of the way as setter
Lauren Cedeno led a Lady Pacers offense that featured five players with double-digit kills. In game two, USCA jumped ahead 7-1 to prompt what proved to be an unsuccessful Bulldog timeout. Keeping the pressure on, the Lady Pacers used two service aces and a kill from Cedeno to go ahead 19-6 and never look back.
The Citadel kept things close as game three began looking like a replica of game one. The score had been tied six times as the Lady Pacers led just 18-16. However, USCA used a 10-1 spurt to vault ahead 28-17 and eventually close out the game. The visitors posted a staggering .607 hitting percentage in game three.
Getting three kills apiece from seniors
Missy Deardorff and
Amanda Timm, the Lady Pacers went ahead 9-1 at the outset of game four. After a timeout, the Bulldogs showed some fight in closing to 20-18, but USCA pulled away for the 30-25 win and the match. Timm and Deardorff had six and five kills respectively in game four alone.
The same pair led the offense throughout as Timm tied a career high with 18 kills and Deardorff added 17 kills and five blocks. Senior
Mandy Gerolstein racked up 14 kills on just 27 attacks to go with four blocks. Senior
Jasmine Edney and junior
Stefanie Durham posted 12 and 11 kills respectively.
Cedeno directed the offense to a superb .364 hitting percentage to more than double The Citadel's .179. The sophomore setter had a career-high 64 assists while adding four service aces.
USCA had 12 service aces in the match to just five from The Citadel. The Lady Pacers also held a 10-4 edge in blocks. Senior
Veronica Seidle led USC Aiken with 18 digs in the match.
USC Aiken returns to action on Thursday, October 4, to host Fayetteville State at 6:00 PM. The Lady Pacers, 3-0 in the brand-new USCA Convocation Center, will be playing their first home match since September 8.
Short Box Score (Match)
USC Aiken vs The Citadel (Oct 2, 2007 at Charleston, S.C.)
USC Aiken def. The Citadel 28-30,30-14, 30-19,30-25
USC Aiken (14-3) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Timm, Amanda 18-2-2; Deardorff, Missy 17-1-5; Gerolstein, Mandy 14-4-0; Edney, Jasmine 12-2-4; Durham, Stefanie 11-2-0; Cedeno, Lauren 2-4-0; Seidle, Veronica 0-1-0; Spice, Danielle 0-0-0. Totals 74-12-10.0. (Assists) - Cedeno, Lauren 64. (Dig leaders) - Seidle, Veronica 18; Durham, Stefanie 12; Deardorff, Missy 10.
The Citadel (2-16) (Kills-aces-blocks) – Sanders, Rachel 18-0-1; Vyborny, Caitlin 10-0-1;
Beal, Amanda 8-0-2; Frain, Shannon 7-0-2; McAllister, Blaine 6-0-1; Hill, Emily 3-4-0; Jestila, Tatum 3-1-1; Maas, Jessica 0-0-0. Totals 55-5-4.0. (Assists) – Hill, Emily 43. (Dig leaders) – Vyborny, Caitlin 13; Sanders, Rachel 12; Hill, Emily 11; McAllister, Blaine 11.
Site: Charleston, S.C. (McAllister Fieldhouse)
Date: Oct 2, 2007
