AIKEN, S.C. – With two starters on the sideline due to injuries, the University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball team lost a 57-53 decision to Montevallo Monday afternoon in a Peach Belt Conference contest.

The Pacers fall to 8-10 overall and 3-6 against league foes. The Falcons are 4-7 on the year and 3-6 against conference competition.

Jasmine Coach registered a career-high 16 points on a six-of-10 effort from the field to lead head coach Mike Brandt's team. She was the lone player in double figures in the loss.

Mariah Durian had seven first-half points, but was held to nine in the game. Kate Duff tallied seven markers while Aubrey Lukacsko chipped in six.

Rachelle Aupont snagged a game-best 10 boards while netting four points.

The Pacers raced out to a 13-9 advantage after Durian scored five straight points on the 8-0 spurt. The Falcons, however, went on a 9-2 run of their own for an 18-15 lead with 28 seconds to play in the first quarter. Lukacsko knotted the game at 18 apiece just before the end of the stanza.

It looked as though things would go USC Aiken's way after a 6-0 run to start the second period. During the run, Coach netted four points and Durian found Alexis Ware for a lay-up at the 7:04 mark. Montevallo would tie it up and the teams would trade baskets until the Falcons hit a three-pointer with 1:35 to go before intermission. The Pacers countered with a jumper from Aupont with 45 seconds to play, pulling the team within one at 29-28 heading into the third quarter.

USC Aiken built a 35-30 lead as Coach scored four straight points with 5:08 to go in the third period, but the home squad missed a few free throws as the visitors took a 41-40 lead heading into the fourth stanza.

Trailing 48-43, Coach hit a charity toss with 3:43 to play. Durian hit a pair of free throws and Coach nailed a jumper, tying the contest at 48-48 with 2:34 to play. The teams traded the next four points, but Montevallo went on a 5-0 run, taking a 55-50 lead with 40 seconds to go.

Durian found Coach for a three-pointer with 35 seconds left, but Brandt's team was unable to knot it on the next possession, forcing the squad to foul with 13 seconds to go. The Falcons hit a pair of free throws , securing the win.

For the game, USC Aiken connected on 17-of-57 shots from the floor (29.8 percent) and six-of-20 from downtown (30 percent). The team hit 13-of-23 from the charity stripe (56.5 percent).

Brandt's squad forced the visitors into 16 turnovers and converted the miscues into 12 points. The team also held an 11-6 edge in second-chance points, but the Falcons maintained an 18-10 margin in the paint due in part to Johannsen facing foul trouble for much of the game before fouling out.

The Pacers return to action Saturday when they play at Francis Marion. Tip-off is slated for 1:30 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.