AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken volleyball team bounced back from back-to-back losses with a 3-0 sweep of Francis Marion Wednesday evening in a Peach Belt Conference contest. Set scores were 25-18, 25-17, 25-22.

The Pacers improved to 12-4 overall, including a 6-2 effort against league foes.

Ashley Diedrich posted a match-high 14 kills while hitting .367. She accounted for 10 digs for a double-double.

Alicia Hines and Aly Johnson had six kills apiece while Julia Forster and Sheila Walsh each added four kills. Walsh led everyone with 29 assists and she chipped in six digs to go along with three aces.

Defensively, Monica Cardona and Shawn Hotson shared match-high honors with 17 digs apiece. Johnson led the defense at the net with three total blocks, including one that was a solo stuff.

The Pacers commanded the match as the team hit .211 while holding the Patriots to a mere .034.

Head coach Glenn Cox's team jumped out to a 3-0 lead behind an ace and two errors by FMU. The squad extended its lead to seven when Walsh sliced the defense for her second ace of the frame.

The Pacers were not challenged the rest of the way and Hines' kill off a pass from Walsh ended the set at 25-18.

In the second frame, the score was tied at six until the Pacers embarked on a 3-0 run. Diedrich and Walsh had kills prior to a miscue by the Patriots. Although FMU pulled within two, USC Aiken pushed the margin to five at 15-10 as Diedrich hammered home a kill.

The visitors would pull within two on two separate occasions, but a 7-2 spurt ended the set in favor of the home team. During the run, Hines and Diedrich had kills while the Patriots accounted for five errors.

The teams were tied at 20 in a back-and-forth affair in the third set when the Patriots pulled ahead on a kill by Alexzandra Reed. Taylor Stratton evened it with a kill, but a miscue gave FMU a one-point edge.

Diedrich tied the contest on a kill and Hines' kill forced a time-out by the visitors. After an attack error by the Patriots, Diedrich wrapped up the victory for USC Aiken with a kill.


The Pacers return to action Friday at 7 p.m., when they play at Armstrong State.