AIKEN, S.C. – Despite outhitting UNC Pembroke .200-.133, the USC Aiken volleyball team was unable to carry their momentum from Friday night into Saturday's Peach Belt Conference match, falling to the Braves 3-2 at the Convocation Center Saturday afternoon.

USC Aiken raced out to an impressive 25-15 win in the first set before stumbling and dropping the second and third sets 25-23 and 25-19. The Pacers regained some of their momentum claiming the fourth set handily 25-12 to send the match into a fifth set, but the Braves were able to just squeak past USC Aiken in the final stretch taking the set 16-14.

With the loss, USC Aiken falls to 6-7 overall for the 2010 season and are now 3-3 in league play. UNC Pembroke improves to 9-4 on the 210 campaign and are now an even 2-2 in PBC play.

Just one night removed from almost equaling her career best for kills in a match, sophomore slugger Shannon Byers (Morristown, Minn./Faribault) once again led all players with 17 kills and just missed out on her sixth double-double of the season by recording nine digs. In total, 11 Pacers recorded at least one kill with freshman Emily Maassen (Ellisville, Mo./Marquette) being the only other Pacer to record double-digit kills with 10 to go with her five blocking assists.

Samantha Lukralle (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) had one of the best matches of her career recording 32 digs in the contest to go along with two service aces while setter Ashley Farwell (Wake Forest, N.C./Wake Forest Rolesville) just missed out on a double-double with 27 assists and nine digs.

UNC Pembroke's Allie Schneider led the Brave's attack recording a double-double with 13 kills and 13 digs in the contest while setter Heather Bolwerk led all players with an impressive 42 assists.

USC Aiken recorded 54 total kills to UNC Pembrokes 51, but the Braves' 11 service aces and nine total team blocks made the difference compared to the Pacers' four service aces and eight total blocks.

USC Aiken will now look to close out the month of September by traveling across the mighty Savannah River into Augusta, Ga. for a 7 p.m. Peach Belt Conference match against rival Augusta State at Christenberry Fieldhouse on Wednesday, Sept. 29.