AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken volleyball team overcame a 2-0 deficit en route to winning the NCAA Southeast Region Championship by a 3-2 score over Queens in the Sweet 16 Sunday afternoon.

The Pacers are now 31-4 on the season while the Royals conclude their year at 22-10.

It marks the first NCAA Southeast Region Championship in program history.

Taylor Stratton led the way with career-high efforts of 23 kills and 25 digs. Julia Forster posted 12 kills to go along with seven digs and three blocks while Christine Carroll and Shawn Hotson posted 11 kills apiece. Hotson notched a double-double with 12 digs.

Kassy Johannsen notched nine kills, seven blocks and four digs. Emily Teelon posted 59 59 assists and 14 digs.

Rebecca Martinez and Danielle Mercer accounted for 23 digs apiece.

After dropping the first two frames, head coach Glenn Cox's team left little doubt in the third stanza, jumping out to an 8-1 run thanks in part to stellar serving from Teelon and a pair of kills from Stratton. The Pacers maintained a healthy advantage throughout the set and finished the frame by scoring five of the last six points, with Julia Forster slamming home the final tally to force a fourth stanza.

The fourth set was tied at 12 before Carroll rocketed home a kill. Two attack errors and an ace from Hotson pushed the score to 16-12. Leading 19-14, an error gave USC Aiken a six-point edge. Johannsen recorded back-to-back points before Stratton slammed home a kill for a 23-14 advantage. Stratton traded points with the Royals, slamming home a pass from Teelon to force a fifth frame.

Cox's team trailed 3-2 before Forster hammered home a kill to even the contest. Hotson fired home a kill before Forster notched a block for a 5-3 lead. With the score at 6-5, back-to-back errors pushed the score to 8-5 in favor of the home team.

However, Queens battled back to make it 8-7 before Teelon flipped a ball over her head for a kill. Stratton sliced the defense with a kill to push the margin to 10-7. An error made it 10-8, but the Pacers went back to the well and Stratton pumped home another kill. Johannsen and Stratton combined for a block to make it 12-8.

Queens scored three straight points to pull within one at 13-12, but Hotson slammed home a kill to make it 14-12. Although Queens notched a kill to make it 14-13, Teelon registered a sensational pass to Carroll, who crossed up the defense for the final point in the victory.

The Pacers find out tomorrow at 10 a.m., who they will face in the Elite Eight.