HARTSVILLE, S.C. – The USCA volleyball team split a pair of matches on Saturday, defeating Belmont Abbey 3-1 before falling to Wingate 3-0.

The Pacers are now 2-1 on the season.

Head coach Glenn Cox's team jumped out to a 14-5 lead in the opening set against Belmont Abbey. Up 7-5, Anna Sommer started the run with a kill. Lexi Rogers added three straight points. Two errors by BAC and a kill from Kaitlyn Rodriguez made it 14-5. Up 18-8, Gyöngyvér Araczki had two consecutive blocks, with the second assisted by Emily Lammers. The Pacers took a 21-8 lead on a kill from Lammers off a pass from Tabor Scanlon. USCA ended the set with a 25-11 victory.

Leading 12-11 in the second frame, two errors and a kill from Rodriguez pushed the score to 15-11. Up 17-16, Sidney Hogan recorded a kill as did Araczki. Cox's team lead 20-18 but the home team pulled out a 25-23 win.

The Pacers took a 6-3 lead in the third frame off kills from Ana Cate Loftus and Lammers. Up 13-11, Rogers hammered home a kill. After an error by BAC, Rogers served up an ace for a five-point edge. USCA put the contest away moments later. Up 17-14, Rodriguez and Sommer had kills, sparking a 6-0 run. The team closed it out with kills from Rodriguez and Tucker Patterson at 25-15.  

Down 8-6 in the fourth frame, Patterson started a run with a kill off a pass from Hogan. Two plays later, Araczki and Patterson combined for a block. After an error, Patterson registered another kill. Leading 12-9, Araczki tallied a kill and was in on a block with Lammers. A point from Rogers extended the margin to six, 15-9. Up 18-12, Sommer and Patterson had kills. Hogan served up an ace, Sommer added a block and Rodriguez finished the match with a kill.

For the match, Rogers led the way with 11 kills and 17 digs for a double-double. Sommer totaled 10 kills and three blocks. Araczki totaled nine kills and four blocks while Rodriguez accounted for nine kills. Patterson hit .833 and slammed home five points. Hogan dished out 24 assists and Scanlon distributed 21.

Defensively, Sadie McKay notched 15 digs while Loftus and Scanlon had eight apiece.

In the nightcap, USCA dropped the first two sets by scores of 25-14, 25-14. In the third frame, the Pacers trailed 13-8 before Lammers and Sommer combined for a block. Lammers followed it up with a kill off a pass from Hogan. Down 15-12, Rogers got things going with a thunderous kill. She nearly outdid herself on the following point before Araczki knotted the score at 15-15.

Trailing 16-15, Rogers accounted for back-to-back kills, giving the visitors a one-point cushion. Down 22-20, Chloe Duzenack and Sommer combined for a block. Sommer once again made it a two-point contest on a kill, but an attack error ended the match.

For the contest, Rogers had eight kills and 14 digs. Sommer notched five kills and three total blocks while Lammers had five kills and five digs.

McKay led the defense with nine digs as Scanlon chipped in eight.

Hogan and Scanlon each dished out nine assists.

The Pacers return to action Friday for the USCA Invitational. The team takes on Francis Marion at 11 a.m., before squaring off against Carson-Newman at 6 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.