GREENWOOD, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken volleyball team had its double-digit winning streak come to an end in a 3-2 (25-20, 23-25, 25-22, 24-26, 15-11) road loss to Lander in Peach Belt Conference volleyball action on Wednesday evening at Horne Arena.

USC Aiken entered the match with Lander on Wednesday in the midst of an 11-match winning streak. USC Aiken had last lost to King on Sept. 14 prior to the loss to Lander on Wednesday evening.

Lander (8-8, 4-1 PBC) started out the match by racing out to a 25-20 victory in game one. USC Aiken (15-6, 4-1 PBC) would rebound in the second game with a 25-23 victory.

The Bearcats picked up a 25-22 win in the third set.

Lander looked as if it would close out the match in the fourth set, pulling to within one point of the match victory in the fourth set at 24-21. USC Aiken would not let the match end there though, scoring the next five points to even the match at 2-2 after a thrilling 26-24 come-from-behind win in the fourth set.

Lander would not let the momentum stay in USC Aiken's favor, opening the fifth set with an 11-3 lead. The Pacers would battle back, but would eventually fall, 15-11, to allow Lander to claim the match.

USC Aiken closed out its loss to Lander hitting .144 as a team. Lander hit .085 in its win over the Pacers.

The Pacers owned a 7-5 total team block advantage in the match.

Three Pacers finished with double-digit kills in the loss to Lander. Ashley Diedrich (Orlando, Fla./Dr. Phillips HS) claimed a double-double in the match with 14 kills and 10 digs. She also had three blocks.

Alyssa Johnson (Apple Valley, Minn./Apple Valley HS) closed out the Lander match with 11 kills, while Leah Rodgers (Longwood, Fla./Lake Mary HS) posted 10 kills. Johnson also had three blocks.  

Five Pacers in total registered double-digit digs with Samantha Lukralle (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst HS) leading the way with 27. Reigning two-time Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week Shannon Byers (Morristown, Minn./Faribault HS) was right behind with 25 digs of her own. Byers also had three blocks in the match.

Claire Patten (Boulder, Colo./Mercer) and Ashley Farwell both finished the Lander match with 12 digs. Farwell (Wake Forest, N.C./Wake Forest-Rolesville HS) also had a team-leading 27 assists in the match to acquire a double-double.

Tarryn Angermeier led Lander with a match-high 22 kills. Madison Kubal collected a match-high 35 digs in the Bearcat win.

USC Aiken will next close out its week with Peach Belt Conference road matches with Flagler and Armstrong.

The Pacers will first face off against Flagler at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 12 in St. Augustine, Fla. One day later, USC Aiken will take on Armstrong at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 13 in Savannah, Ga.