Box Score AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken volleyball program registered a 3-0 victory over Converse in the team's first match of the USC Aiken Invitational Friday afternoon.

The Pacers improve to 5-1 on the season while Converse falls to 0-7. Game scores were 25-22, 25-16 and 25-12.

Leading the well-balanced attack was Aly Johnson's nine kills and .318 attack percentage. Endea Ellison and Shawn Hotson each slammed home seven kills while Hannah Tierney and Taylor Stratton produced five and four, respectively. Tierney also posted a .556 attack percentage.

Amanda Bologna distributed 19 assists while Sheila Walsh contributed 12. Tierney sliced the defense with four of the Pacers' nine aces. Danielle Mercer and Monica Cardona each had two aces while Bologna added the ninth.

Defensively, Mercer led the team with 11 digs while Hotson had 10. Stratton chipped in eight. At the net, Ellison and Tierney each had four block assists while Johnson also managed four total blocks, including one of the solo variety. Leah Rodgers added a solo block and two block assists.

In the first set, the teams traded the first 12 points, but Ellison's kill started a 4-0 run. Rodgers and Hotson also added kills during the spurt. After Converse pulled within one at 12-11, Hotson's kill and a combined block by Ellison and Johnson sparked another run by the home squad.

On two occasions Converse pulled within one, but each time another USC Aiken student-athlete stepped up to make a big play. The Pacers finished off the set with a three-point win when Johnson's attack found the floor for a kill.

The second set saw the visitors take a 9-7 lead. However, Taylor Stratton's kill started a 6-0 run by the Pacers. During the streak, Cardona had an ace, Hotson added a kill while Ellison and Rodgers combined for a block. Walsh finished the run with an outstanding kill to the back left corner of the court.

From that point forward, Converse did not come any closer than four. USC Aiken wrapped up the set victory on a service error by the visitors.

In the final frame of the match, the Pacers left little doubt, jumping out to an 11-4 lead thanks in part to three kills by Johnson. USC Aiken stretched its advantage to 10 on a service error by Converse at 19-9. Hotson and Tierney combined for a block to set up match point. Johnson took a pass from Bologna to finish off the sweep in the 25-12 win.

The Pacers return to action at 7 p.m. when they host Limestone for the final match on the first day of the USC Aiken Invitational.