PEMBROKE, N.C. – Alie Smith reached the 1,000-kill, 1,000-dig mark for her career Friday evening as the University of South Carolina Aiken volleyball team defeated UNC Pembroke 3-1.

The Pacers are now 2-1 on the year while the Braves fall to 1-1.

Smith registered a double-double with a match-high 30 kills to go along with 16 digs. Sydney Bresee and Anita Cookey-Gam each had seven kills while Alisha Pitt had six in the win.

Caroline Foster notched a double-double with 42 assists and 10 digs. Kayla Duggan and Mercer tallied two aces each.

Defensively, Kari Mercer garnered 25 digs while Emily Duggan contributed 12.

After dropping the first set, USC Aiken bounced back to win the third frame 25-21. Tied at 18-18, Smith hammered home three straight passes from Foster. UNC Pembroke called a time-out, but Kayla Duggan served up a pair of aces for a five-point edge. Smith accounted for the final two points of the frame for head coach Glenn Cox's team for the victory.

In the third frame, the Pacers embarked on a 5-0 spurt after the score was tied at 9-9. In the run, Smith had two kills while Bresee had one. The dyad combined for a block as well. Leading 18-14, Sophia Hoffman registered a kill. Smith and Foster followed it up with back-to-back points for a 21-14 edge. Kayla Duggan had an ace to make it 23-17 and the Pacers closed the set on a pair of miscues by the home squad.  

Bresee made it 2-0 in the fourth set with an ace. UNC Pembroke errors pushed the advantage to 4-1. Tied at 5-5, Smith posted a kill and Mercer had an ace. The Pacers made it a three-point lead on a kill from Smith. Back-to-back kills from Smith and Kayla Duggan made it 15-10. The visitors stretched the margin to 10 points after a 6-0 run to make it 21-11. Cookey-Gam had a pair of kills in the run while Smith had an ace. Leading 23-13, Hoffman powered home a pass from Foster before Smith ended the match with a thunderous kill off a an assist from Foster.

The Pacers return to action Tuesday, March 16, when they play at Augusta at 6 p.m.