Box Score ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – In a battle of top three Peach Belt Conference teams, the regionally 10th-ranked University of South Carolina Aiken volleyball team fell 3-1 (17-25, 25-20, 25-23, 25-21) to regionally third-ranked Flagler in Peach Belt Conference volleyball action at Flagler Gymnasium on Friday evening.
The loss to Flagler on Friday evening snapped a three-match winning streak for USC Aiken (15-14, 7-6 PBC).
In the first set, the two teams were tied at 6-6 very early on in the set. It was at this point that the Pacers took over in the game, winning the next six points to take an 11-6 lead. Over the next few points, Flagler would get as close as two points, but the Pacers would still easily pull away for a 25-17 win in the inaugural set.
In the second set, Flagler raced out to a 12-7 lead. The Pacers would battle back though, cutting the Saint advantage to one at 12-11. The Pacers would be unable to get any closer in the set with Flagler eventually garnering a 25-20 win.
Things were close between the two teams in the third set, but Flagler was able to hold off the Pacers for a narrow 25-23 victory that earned them a 2-1 advantage in the match. Flagler would continue its momentum in the fourth set to claim a 25-21 win and the overall match victory at 3-1.
USC Aiken finished the match hitting .189 as a team. Flagler hit .219 as a team in its victory. The Pacers held a slight 4-3 team block advantage in the match.
Three Pacers recorded double-digit kills in the match with Endea Ellison (Orange Park, Fla./Episcopal) and Shannon Byers (Morristown, Minn./Faribault) tying for the team high with 11 kills each. Leah Rodgers (Longwood, Fla./Lake Mary) concluded the match with 10 kills. Byers also had 15 digs to conclude the match with a double-double.
Samantha Lukralle (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) led all Pacers with 20 digs. Claire Patten (Boulder, Colo./Mercer) was the final Pacer with double-digit digs with 11.
Alex Petock (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge) guided the Pacer attack with 24 assists.
Four Flagler players finished with four double-digit kills with Dianna Craine leading the way with 15 kills. Flagler's Casey Gnann led all in the match with 28 digs.
Olivia Snipes collected 50 assists for the Saints in their victory.
The Pacers will next conclude their 2011 regular season in Savannah, Ga. against national No. 15 Armstrong Atlantic State on Saturday, Nov. 5. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m.
