AIKEN, S.C. – University of South Carolina Aiken volleyball standouts Emily Lammers and Sadie McKay each posted career-high marks for kills in the 3-2 loss to Georgia College & State.

The Pacers are now 12-7 overall and 3-5 in league play. The set scores were 32-30, 25-21, 26-24, 25-22, 15-12. 

Lammers led the way with 25 kills while McKay hammered home 20. Abbey Schad added nine in the contest. Lammers added 16 digs for a double-double. 

Caroline Foster tallied 36 assists and 15 digs while Mallory Barash accounted for 24 assists.

Defensively, Kari Mercer led the way with 27 digs. Schad chipped in 10 digs. At the net, Kaitlyn Lund and Brooke Wroten each had three blocks to pace the squad. 

At the service line, Foster led the team with three aces while McKay and Schad had two apiece.  

USC Aiken trailed 24-21 in the first set until two straight kills by McKay pulled the team to within one. An ace by Foster knotted the score 24-24. The home squad held a 30-29 edge but GGCSU eventually took the set, 32-30. 

In the second frame, USC Aiken started the scoring with kills from McKay and Schad. The set remained close until two straight errors from the visitors put the Pacers ahead 23-19. A service error by the Bobcats solidified the 25-21 win.  

USC Aiken remained on top the better half of the third set with kills by McKay, Lammers, and Cat Bodick. The scoring continued with kills by Wroten and Schad, making the score 18-14. GCSU ultimately took the lead after three errors and held on for the 26-24 win. 

The fourth set began with USC Aiken on top with a kill by Lammers. The Pacers trailed 20-18 until a kill by Schad pulled the squad within one. A service ace from Schad gave the Pacers a late lead, 23-22. USC Aiken took the set 25-22. 

The fifth set began with USC Aiken leading by three after aces from Foster and McKay. The scoring continued with kills by Lammers and Anna Sommer, giving the Pacers an 8-4 advantage. However, GCSU managed to edge out the 15-12 win.   

Prior to the match, seniors Caroline Foster, Kaitlyn Lund, Kari Mercer, Abbey Schad and Brooke Wroten were honored in a Senior Day ceremony.

The Pacers return to action Tuesday when they square off against the Bobcats at 6 p.m., in Milledgeville, Ga.