USC Aiken Posts Wins Over Mars Hill And Tusculum

AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken volleyball team posted wins over Mars Hill by a 3-0 score and Tusculum by a 3-2 count Friday afternoon in a pair of non-conference contests.

The Pacers are now 16-2 on the season. The Lions fall to 4-11 while the Pioneers drop to 11-7.

Alie Smith led the way in the opener against the Lions with 10 kills and 12 digs for a double-double effort. Julia Forster narrowly missed a double-double with nine kills and 16 digs, but early in the second set she registered her 1,000^th career kill. Forster is the ninth student-athlete at USC Aiken to record 1,000 career kills.

Alicia Hines powered home seven kills while hitting .389. Avery Macklin chipped in five kills in the win.

Emily Teelon garnered a double-double with 29 assists and 10 digs. For good measure, she tallied three aces.

Rebecca Martinez led everyone with 31 digs, which is the second most in school history for a three-set match. Kayla Duggan earned the start and did not disappoint, posting 17 digs in the contest.

USC Aiken's 93 digs bested a 16-year old school mark for digs in a three-set match. The 145 attempts are the fifth most in school history.

Leading 4-3 in the opening frame, head coach Glenn Cox's team embarked on a 10-2 spurt for a commanding 14-5 advantage. The squad did not look back en route to a 25-16 victory.

The Pacers held a 5-4 lead in the second stanza before slowing making it a four-point contest at 11-7 on back-to-back kills from Smith. Tied at 11-11, Smith sliced the defense for two kills and served up an ace for a 17-13 advantage. Christine Carroll and Avery Macklin teamed up for a block before Macklin found the court for a kill. Forster's kill ended the set at 25-19.

USC Aiken trailed 4-0 in the third frame, but bounced back to take a 10-9 lead after kills from Hines and Smith. That sparked a 7-1 run for a 15-10 edge. The visitors pulled within three at 22-19, but Carroll slammed home a kill. Holding a 23-21 lead, Kelsey Spurlin registered a kill. Two plays later, Hines thumped an over pass for the 25-22 victory.

In the nightcap against the Pioneers, Smith led the team with 14 kills to go along with 20 digs for a double-double. Christine Carroll and Forster tallied 13 kills apiece while Avery Macklin chipped in 11 for the victory. Hines and Teelon accounted for nine and six, respectively. Hines was sensational at the net, totaling two solo blocks and five block assists.

Teelon registered a match-high 56 assists to go along with 10 digs for a double-double.

Martinez led everyone with 38 digs while Natalie Perrault garnered 11 digs to go along with two aces.

Trailing 2-1 heading into the fourth frame, USC Aiken held a 14-13 edge before an error by the Pioneers served a ball into the net, making it 15-13. Hines and Teelon blocked a shot, an error by the visitors and a kill from Forster made it 18-13.

Holding a 20-19 lead later in the frame, Smith and Carroll posted back-to-back kills. An error by TC and a kill from Smith notched kills for a five-point advantage. Smith forced a fifth set with a thunderous kill.

Cox's team fell behind 2-1 in the fifth frame, but Smith and Forster hammered home kills. Smith's ace pushed it to 4-2. Leading 5-4, Macklin slammed down a kill. With Perrault serving, Hines had a kill. Hines and Forster tallied a block before Forster tallied a point. Perrault served up an ace and a miscue by the visitors pushed the score to 11-4.

Smith garnered kills to make it 13-8 and 14-9. After a point by the Pioneers, Teelon found a cutting Carroll for the final point of the match.

The Pacers return to action tomorrow when they host Carson-Newman (12 p.m.) and Lincoln Memorial (4 p.m.). Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.