Volleyball Falls to USC Aiken
The UNCP volleyball team dropped three straight sets and recorded their 21st loss of the season, falling to USC Aiken (16-25, 19-25, 15-25).
Things started out promising in the first set, but after that early run the team just couldn’t muster any kind of offense.
The opening set started off well for the Braves as they got off to a 12-9 lead, but USC Aiken went on a 13-3 run and undid Pembroke’s early rally. Aquia Jones was the standout for the first set, as the junior managed team-high four kills.
It was more of the same in the second set. The Braves got off to a 14-12 lead, but USC Aiken went on a 10-0 run and took away all of the momentum. After watching the deficit grow to 22-14, UNCP rallied to pull within 24-19. USC Aiken ended the set with a kill that put them up 2-0 for the match.
After losing leads in the first and second sets, the Braves never got to see the lead again as they were thoroughly dominated in the third set.
They showed some life with a miniature 3-0 run, but the Pacers squashed it with a 5-1 run of their own and would go on to win the set 25-15 and defeat the Braves 3-0 for the match.
Makaylah Elliott led the Braves with seven kills to go along with nine block assists. Cayce Bell picked up 21 digs and four assists for the hosts.
USC Aiken held an advantage in a number of statistical categories including kills (43-24, aces (8-2), assists (41-24 and digs (52-42).
The victory was the 23rd in a row for the Pacers, who currently sit at the top of the Peach Belt Conference. They lead the league in assists, kills, service aces and digs.
T
he Braves are near the bottom of the PBC in many of those categories, but they are second to the Pacers in blocks.
