AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken volleyball team posted a pair of sweeps Saturday afternoon, defeating Converse and Valdosta State.
The Pacers are now 11-0 on the season.
Against Converse, head coach
Glenn Cox's team was paced by
Alie Smith's double-double. She totaled 12 kills and 14 digs to go along with a match-best three aces.
Christine Carroll totaled nine kills and a block while
Abbey Schad totaled six kills without a miscue.
Kayla Duggan continued to impress, posting seven kills while notching 10 digs.
Alli Bell dished out 25 assists and had a block in two sets of action.
Mallory Barash totaled 13 assists and four digs.
Defensively,
Rebecca Martinez garnered a match-high 25 digs.
Kari Mercer chipped in seven.
Brittany French and
Ashlyn Hill each accounted for a kill in the third frame while
Emily Duggan saw her first collegiate action in the final set, coming in for her sister.
USC Aiken started jumped out to a 9-4 lead before reeling off four straight points. Smith notched a kill prior to Bell serving up an ace. Leading 18-13, Smith had a kill. Two plays later, Martinez totaled an ace before Schad extended the margin to 22-13 on a kill. The Pacers rattled off the final three points of the set for a 25-14 victory.
Cox's team broke open the second set early, pushing the margin to nine at 15-6 on a kill from
Anita Cookey-Gam. The home team increased the margin to 12 at 22-10 on a thunderous kill from Carroll. A point from Smith and a block from Barash and Schad ended the frame at 25-15.
USC Aiken led 7-5 before a miscue by Converse sparked a run. Smith and French each had kills, helping push the lead to 12-5. Up 18-13, the Pacers scored the final seven points of the contest. Smith started it with a kill before registering three aces over the next few points. Hill ended the contest with a kill off a pass from Barash.
Schad led everyone in the nightcap, posting a .778 attack percentage with 14 kills. It marked the third-highest attack percentage in school history. Carroll was just behind her, hammering home 13 kills.
Bell garnered 39 assists to go along with seven digs.
Martinez led everyone with 21 digs. Duggan and Smith added 15 and 10, respectively.
Trailing 10-8 in the first set, USC Aiken embarked on a 9-3 spurt to take command of the frame. The rally ended after Martinez served up an ace to make it 17-13. Up by three at 20-7, Schad started a 5-0 run to put the set away. She also had an ace while
Kayla Duggan ended it with a block.
The second set was close throughout, but Schad's kill and Smith's ace made it 16-13. After an error by the visitors, Duggan found the court for a five-point edge. Leading 23-17, Smith and Schad registered back-to-back kills for a 25-17 victory.
Down 11-8 in the third set, an error started an 8-0 run by the Pacers. Duggan had a kill prior to Smith notching three aces. Duggan ended the rally with a kill to make it 16-11. The Blazers pulled within four at 20-16, but Carroll had two kills and Schad ended the match with the kill.
The Pacers return to action Saturday, Sept. 28, when they host Flagler at 2 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.
All-Tournament Team
Christine Carroll (USC Aiken)
Kayla Duggan (USC Aiken)
Rebecca Martinez (USC Aiken)
Jordyn Poppen (UWF)
Alie Smith (USC Aiken)
Brittany Tepedino (Converse)
Veresia Yon (UWF)
