ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The UNC Pembroke volleyball team struggled to keep up with the .348 hitting percentage and eight services aces from Flagler as the Saints pulled away from the Braves for the 3-0 win with sets scores of 25-21, 25-12 and 25-17 on Sunday afternoon in the opening Peach Belt Conference contest of the 2014 season.

The loss kept Flagler (3-2, 1-0 PBC) perfect in the series with UNCP (1-4, 0-1) who hit .355 in the first set of the match. Newcomer Jada Vernon led the Braves with six kills, while Mallory Davis, Caroline Pridgen and Nicole Mathews each registered five kills. Sophomore Sabrina Gonzalez carried a team high .429 hitting percentage, as well as 20 assists and a pair of block assists.

Mathews posted a team-best nine digs, while Danielle Brown followed with seven digs. Davis also contributed three block assists to the UNCP defense.

UNCP and Flagler stayed neck-and-neck throughout the first set with its last tied score at 21-21 on the kill by Vernon, but the Saints pulled ahead to take the set on a four-point run. The second set saw Flagler use a 13-2 run to push ahead of UNCP, prior to the Saints taking a quick lead in the final set close out the game.

UNCP will compete in the Wingate Tri-Match on Tuesday against Wingate (4-0) at 3:30 p.m. and Erskine (2-2) at 5:30 p.m. inside the Cuddy Arena.