PEMBROKE – Despite an unyielding effort by the UNCP volleyball team on Senior Night, USC Aiken managed to clinch the 3-0 shutout victory over the Lady Braves in three sets on Friday evening in Peach Belt Conference action in the English E. Jones Center. 

The scores of the 72 minute match were 25-21, 25-16, 25-18 with the Lady Braves (5-20, 0-11 PBC) holding a set-best .227 hitting percentage in set two. Senior Shay Peterson notched a team-best 10 kills, while junior Marissa Baker totaled eight kills. Freshman Ashtin Truesdale posted 11 digs and six kills, as senior Ashlyn Rebok dished out 25 assists and logged two block assists.

In the first set, the Black and Gold used an 8-4 run to cut down the deficit from 9-7 to claim a two point lead at the 14-12 mark. Truesdale collected four straight points for UNCP as she capitalized on USC Aiken (17-9, 6-4 PBC) errors. The Pacers tied the game up at the 17-17 mark and won the first set on the kill by Ashley Diedrich.

The Pacers used an 11-3 run in set two to leave the Lady Braves behind and take the set on an attack error by UNCP. The Lady Braves increased the intensity in the third set and remained no more than three points ahead or behind of USC Aiken until the 21-17 mark when the Pacers took advantage of UNCP mistakes at the net. 

The Black and Gold combined for a .160 hitting percentage, 38 digs, 26 kills, eight block assists and one solo block by Baker. 

USC Aiken hit a combined .293 and posted a .355 hitting percentage in the second set. Shannon Byers led the squad with 11 kills, while Diedrich posted nine. Setters Alex Petock and Ashley Farwell combined for 30 assists as Samantha Lukralle notched 16 digs. Middle blocker Hannah Tierney tallied three block assists.

The Lady Braves will be back in action on Saturday as the Black and Gold host PBC opponent Lander (13-13, 5-5 PBC) in a 2 p.m. matchup in the Jones Center.

To watch the full game click HERE.