MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The University of South Carolina Aiken volleyball team lost a 3-1 decision at Montevallo Friday evening.

The Pacers fall to 9-3 on the season, including a 2-3 mark against league foes.

Head coach Glenn Cox's team hit a solid .226 in the first set, but hit under .100 in each of the final two frames.

Leading the way for USC Aiken was Ashley Diedrich with 14 kills. Taylor Stratton accounted for 10 while Julia Forster and Alicia Hines added seven and six, respectively.

Emily Teelon paced the team with 39 assists while Monica Cardona accounted for a match-best 23 digs. Katie Toman chipped in 14.

In the opening set, USC Aiken went on a 6-1 spurt after being down 4-3. During the run, Aly Johnson hammered home a kill. Forster added three of the next four points for the Pacers prior to Diedrich recorded a kill and an ace for a 9-5 edge.

USC Aiken slowly pushed its lead to six after a 4-1 run, culminating with a kill from Diedrich. With the score at 15-12, Diedrich had a kill and Alicia Hines registered a solo block. An ace by Johnson pushed the lead to six, 18-12.

Ahead 18-14, Diedrich tallied the next three points, forcing a time-out. After the break, Hines slammed home a pass from Teelon for a 22-14 advantage. A moment later, Shawn Hotson's ace wrapped up the first-set victory, 25-15.

Cox's squad trailed 7-5 before Forster smashed a pass from Teelon. Hines and Stratton combined for a block, knotting the second set. Hotson added an ace and Teelon recorded a kill for a 9-7 lead. However, the Falcons went on a 6-1 run and USC Aiken was unable to even the set, falling 25-19.

The team was unable to grab a lead the remainder of the match, but fought hard in the third and fourth frames.

The Pacers return to action tomorrow when they travel to Columbus State. The match is slated to begin at 2 p.m. Live stats are available at PacerSports.com.