Box Score AUGUSTA, Ga. – The University of South Carolina Aiken volleyball team used a powerful offensive attack and a stellar defense at the net to record a 3-0 victory at nearby GRU Augusta Wednesday evening. Set scores were 25-22, 25-23, 25-23.
The Pacers improve to 12-5 overall, including a 5-2 mark against conference competition.
Aly Johnson paced the team with a team-best 10 kills while hitting .389.
Taylor Stratton slammed home eight kills while
Endea Ellison was near perfect, totaling seven kills against one error while hitting .500.
Leah Rodgers added five kills for the victors.
Amanda Bologna dished out a team-high 21 assists while
Sheila Walsh added 12. At the service lie, Bologna, Stratton,
Shawn Hotson, Rodgers and
Ashley Diedrich all hammered home an ace.
Defensively,
Katie Toman led the way with nine digs. Bologna chipped in eight while Hotson accounted for seven. At the net, Johnson was in on four blocks while Ellison was in on three. Rodgers added two block assists while Diedrich and Hotson each were in on a block.
Playing in her first career match, rookie
Ashley Lind smashed three kills in six attempts while playing in one set.
The Jaguars jumped out to a seven-point lead to open the match, but Stratton and Rodgers each had kills, helping USC Aiken get on track. Trailing 15-13, the Pacers benefited by two consecutive miscues by the home team and a kill by Stratton, taking the 16-15 lead.
The squads played evenly for the next few points, but a miscue by GRU-Augusta pushed the lead to 23-21. The teams traded points and with set point looming, Johnson and Stratton stuffed an attack, securing the 25-22 victory.
In the second frame, USC Aiken trailed 9-7, but Hotson's kill put the ball back on the Pacers' side. Toman dropped back to serve and an error by the home team evened the contest. Toman's ace sliced the defense and an attack error by the Jaguars made it 11-9.
GRU-Augusta regained the lead, but Hotson's kill evened the set at 22. Bologna found an open spot on the court and easily placed the ball there, making the score 23-22. Johnson and Stratton combined for a block and an attack error by the home team gave head coach
Glenn Cox's team the 25-23 win.
The Pacers found themselves trailing 15-11 in the third set, but once again the team fought through the adversity, taking a 19-18 lead on a kill by Johnson. Tied at 19, Lind hammered home a kill. The teams were tied at 21, but USC Aiken scored four of the next six points to earn the victory.
The Pacers return to action Friday when they host Armstrong at 7 p.m. The contest is also part of City Volleyball Day.
