Box Score AIKEN, S.C. – Behind four players with double-digit kills, the University of South Carolina Aiken volleyball team garnered a thrilling 3-1 (29-31, 25-21, 31-29, 26-24) Peach Belt Conference victory over Montevallo on Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center.
In the first set, USC Aiken and Montevallo battled and back and forth before the Falcons were able to emerge with a 31-29 victory to take an early 1-0 lead in the match. The Pacers would then take the next three to earn the 3-1 win.
USC Aiken finished the match hitting .150 as a team, while Montevallo hit .114 in the match. The story of the match though was USC Aiken finishing the match with 16 total team blocks compared to Montevallo's five.
Emily Maassen (Ellisville, Mo./Marquette) concluded the match with 14 kills to lead the Pacers. She also claimed eight blocks in the match.
Jessica Loper (McDonough, Ga./Eagles Landing Christian) was just behind Maassen in total kills with 12. Loper closed the match with seven blocks.
The final two Pacers with double-digit kills in the match were
Endea Ellison (Orange Park, Fla./Episcopal) with 11 and
Shannon Byers (Morristown, Minn./Faribault) with 10.
Byers collected another double-double in the match as she brought in 21 digs to go along with her 10 kills.
Pacer libero Samantha Lukralle (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) covered the floor brilliantly in the match as she led all in the match with 27 digs.
USC Aiken setter Ashley Farwell (Wake Forest, N.C./Wake Forest-Rolesville) claimed a double-double of her own as she finished the Pacer win with 30 assists and 11 digs.
Manyi Ati was the only Montevallo player to claim double-digit kills as she ended the match with 12.
Five different Falcons had double-digit digs with Rachel Wotitzky leading the way with 19.
USC Aiken will next welcome Lander to the Convocation Center for a Peach Belt Conference match on Wednesday, Oct. 5. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
The Pacers will be holding a special "Spike" Hunger Now promotion during the Lander match.
The event is being done to help end hunger in Aiken County, while also supporting Pacer volleyball.
Pacer fans are asked to bring two canned foods for admission and free food on Oct. 5 to stop hunger in Aiken County.
The Pacer Fanatics and Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity will be sponsoring the event at the Convocation Center.
The food donations will be taken to the Golden Harvest Food Bank.
