Box Score

FLORENCE, S.C. - The University of South Carolina Aiken volleyball team dropped only its second match in its last nine outings with a 3-1 loss to Peach Belt Conference foe Francis Marion on Friday evening at the Smith University Center.

The loss drops the Pacers to 2-2 in Peach Belt Conference action in 2009. USC Aiken is now 10-5 on the 2009 campaign overall. FMU is 6-6 on the year after its victory. The Patriots are now 1-2 in PBC action.

Francis Marion opened Friday's match by taking a 25-22 win in the first game. The Pacers responded in the second game with a 25-21 victory. USC Aiken seemed to have the momentum entering the halftime break between games two and three, but FMU was able to rattle off two heart-wrenching two-point 25-23 victories in games three and four to acquire the overall match victory.

The Pacers did not have a player finish the loss to the Patriots with double-digit kills. (Megan Disney Knoxville, Tenn./Karns) led USC Aiken with nine kills in the match with freshman Shannon Byers (Morristown, Minn./Faribault) not too far behind at eight kills. Byers also had three service aces in the match.

Samantha Lukralle (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) ended her efforts on Friday evening with 17 digs, while Lauren Cedeno (Jacksonville, Fla./Bishop Kenny) paced the USC Aiken attack with 20 assists.

Ashlee Crook led the Patriots and all players in the match with 12 kills. She also acquired two service aces in FMU's win. Kelsie Deaton ended the match with 25 digs for the Patriots.

USC Aiken will try and get back on the winning side of things tomorrow (Saturday) against league rival UNC Pembroke at 3 p.m. in Pembroke, N.C.