Box Score MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The University of South Carolina Aiken suffered a 3-1 loss at Montevallo Saturday afternoon. Set scores were 25-23, 21-25, 27-29, 19-25.
The Pacers are now 11-4 overall and 5-2 against Peach Belt Conference foes.
Leading the way for head coach Glenn Cox's team was Ashley Diedrich, who hammered home a match-high 16 kills. Alicia Hines added a career-high 14 kills while hitting .448. Aly Johnson and Taylor Stratton added 13 and 11 kills, respectively.
Sheila Walsh totaled a team-best 49 assists. She chipped in seven digs and six kills. Defensively, Monica Cardona posted a match-high 21 digs. Diedrich accounted for a double-double by adding 17. Shawn Hotson and Danielle Mercer accounted for 11 digs apiece.
At the net, Hines and Johnson tallied two solo blocks apiece. Diedrich, Hotson and Stratton each added one.
The Pacers hit a solid .207, but the Falcons managed to post a .287 attack percentage. USC Aiken had 11 more attack errors than the home squad.
Cox's team trailed in the early going of the first set, but managed to tie the contest at 14. Although the squad was down 20-16, a kill by Johnson got things going for the visitors. With Katie Toman serving, the squad embarked on a 4-0 spurt, tying the contest at 20.
USC Aiken trailed 22-20, but Stratton and Diedrich evened the match with back-to-back kills. An ace put the Pacers up by one. Hines gave the team its 24th point and an attack error by the Falcons pushed the Pacers' score to 25.
After losing the second set by four, USC Aiken took a lead in the third stanza at 19-18. However, Montevallo pulled ahead 20-19. The teams traded points and the Pacers took a 25-24 lead on an error by the home squad. The Falcons would eventually pull away for the 29-27 victory.
USC Aiken trailed 17-9 in the fourth set and battled back to within five, but Cox's group could get no closer.
The Pacers look to rebound when they return home Wednesday when they host Francis Marion in a 7 p.m., contest.
