Box Score

AIKEN, S.C. - Lindsay Mortenson finished with a match-high 10 kills in regionally fourth-ranked USC Aiken's 3-0 sweep of Peach Belt Conference rival UNC Pembroke on senior day at the Convocation Center on Saturday, Oct. 17.

USC Aiken picked up its second victory of the weekend and improved to 13-9 overall with the win over the Braves. The Pacers also moved back to .500 in PBC play at 5-5 with the victory. USC Aiken has now won three of its last four matches.

UNC Pembroke with the loss dropped to 1-8 in the PBC. The Braves are now 8-14 overall.

USC Aiken opened the match by earning a hard-fought 25-23 victory in the first set. USC Aiken followed up the dramatic victory in the first set with a 25-17 victory in the second set.

The Pacers closed out the match by picking up a 25-20 victory in the third game. Fittingly, senior setter Whitney Tabbert (Stewardson, Ill./Stewardson-Strasburg) punctuated the match on match point with a kill to secure the three-set victory for the Pacers.

Mortenson (Aliso Viejo, Cali./Santa Margartia Catholic) hit .280 in the match to collect the 10 kills. She also had four digs. She ended the match as the only player on either team with double-digit kills.

Shannon Byers (Morristown, Minn./Faribault) came close to acquiring her second double-double of the weekend in the match, following up her 14-kill, 14-dig performance in USC Aiken's five-set win over Francis Marion on Friday with a nine-kill, 16-dig afternoon in Saturday's victory over the Braves. The 16 digs were the most in the match.

Pacer libero Samantha Lukralle (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) was right behind Byers in total digs in the match with 12. Lukralle added a match-high three service aces.

Senior Lauren Cedeno (Jacksonville, Fla./Bishop Kenny) led the Pacers in the match with 20 assists. Tabbert concluded her senior day match with 11 assists.

UNC Pembroke was led in the loss by Andrea Laza, who finished the loss with 11 digs. Sam Wylie led the Braves with 15 assists.

The Pacers will next play two matches in Atlanta, Ga. on Oct. 22. The Pacers will play Lee at 2 p.m. and then take on defending NCAA Division III national champion Emory at 6 p.m.