WINGATE, N.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken volleyball team gave top-seeded Wingate all it could handle but came up just short in the 3-1 loss Friday evening.

The Pacers conclude their season at 19-14 while the Bulldogs (30-2) advance to the second round Saturday evening.

Head coach Glenn Cox's young team was led by Emily Lammers' double-double with 16 kills and 11 digs. Sadie McKay notched a double-double with 11 kills and 16 digs while Kaitlyn Rodriguez posted 11 kills and 10 digs for a double-double.

Mallory Barash posted a double-double with 40 assists and 12 digs to go along with four kills. Anna Sommer added four kills while Brooke Wroten tallied two.

Defensively, Kari Mercer added 14 digs. She and Lammers shared team-best accolades with two aces apiece. Lammers also blocked a team-high two attempts.

Trailing 4-1 in the first set, Lammers and Wroten combined for a block. Two plays later, Izabella De Lima aced the Bulldogs, tying the set at 4-4. Down 5-4, an error once again knotted the score. With Lammers serving, Sommer slammed home a kill for the team's first lead. Rodriguez and Sommer posted back-to-back kills before the dyad combined for a block. A Lammers kill pushed the score to 10-5.

Up 14-11, a service error by the home team made it a four-point game. Two straight errors by the Bulldogs extended the margin to six, 17-11. After Wingate took a 21-20 lead, Barash found Rodriguez for a kill. The teams continued to trade points until it was 24-24. Cox's team set up Lammers for a kill. Leading by one, Barash set Wroten for the thunderous kill and 26-24 victory.

Tied at 12-12 in the second frame, Barash found Lammers for a kill. Two plays later, another point from Lammers once again gave the visitors a one-point margin. A 5-0 run by the Bulldogs in front 18-14. Wingate managed to take the second set 25-17.

Cox's group held an early lead in the third stanza. Lammers gave the Pacers a 2-1 lead. Rodriguez posted a kill for a 3-2 margin and an error by the home team made it 4-2. The teams continued going back-and-forth until the set was tied at 10-10. Wingate slowly pulled away for the 25-18 win.

USC Aiken started the fourth set on the attack. Tied at 2-2, Lammers sparked a run with a kill. Mercer befuddled the defense with an ace and an attack error made it 5-2. Up 5-3, Lammers once again answered the bell with a kill before ripping off an ace for a 7-3 margin.

Down 13-12, Lammers posted back-to-back kills. The Pacers held a 15-14 lead but the Bulldogs were able to close the match on an 11-2 run.

For the match, USC Aiken totaled 48 kills but had 29 errors to hit .106 while Wingate hit .280.