Box Score PEMBROKE – Visiting and Peach Belt Conference-leading USC Aiken hit .218 and benefited from 33 hitting errors by the UNC Pembroke volleyball team on their way to a four-set victory (25-21, 19-25, 14-25, 22-25) over the Braves on Saturday afternoon at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.
 
It was the fifth loss in the last six outings for the Black & Gold (8-17, 0-8 PBC) who wrapped up a three-match home stand with the setback as well. The Pacers (16-3, 6-1) held on to their half-game lead over Lander in the latest PBC standings, while also registering their second-straight victory.
 

MATCH SUMMARY
FINAL SCORE	USC Aiken 3, UNC Pembroke 1 (25-21, 19-25, 14-25, 22-25)
RECORDS	UNC Pembroke (8-17, 0-8 PBC); USC Aiken (16-3, 6-1 PBC)
ARENA	Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court (Pembroke, N.C.)

MATCH REPLAY
SET 1 I 25-21	The Braves hit at a near-.200 clip in the opening set and took advantage of 10 hitting errors (one service error) to get the day started off right. The Pacers knotted up the set at 12 points apiece on a kill by Anita Cookey-Gam, but the Braves responded with a 6-2 run to take control. The Pacers pulled to within one point, 19-18, on a service ace, but UNCP closed out the set with a 7-2 run to prevail.
SET 2 I 19-25	The roles were reversed in the second set as the Pacers hit .293 and utilized seven hitting errors (two service errors) by the Braves to even the match up. USC Aiken led 13-4 following another kill by Anita Cookey-Gam, but the Black & Gold steadily whittled away at its deficit and made it a three-point set, 21-18, on April Tankersley's kill. The Pacers would finish off the set with a 4-1 run.
SET 3 I 14-25	Hitting errors proved to be beneficial again for the Pacers as the visitors scored nearly half of its points (12 of 25) on attack errors by the Braves. USC Aiken took a commanding 16-8 lead on a kill by Alie Smith, and then tacked up six of the last seven points to take the advantage in the match.
SET 4 I 22-25	The Braves scored eight of the first 11 points in the opening set via hitting errors by the Pacers, but USC Aiken scored 14 of the next 20 points to take a lead it would not relinquish. The Braves eventually knotted the match back up at 22 points apiece on a kill by Shannon Skryd, but the visitors scored the last three points to clinch the match.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
KILLS	Shannon Skryd (11), Aquia Jones (10), April Tankersley (7)
ASSISTS	Bailee Jones (36), Ashley Caesar (1), Anna Heinz (1)
DIGS	Anna Heinz (26), Shannon Skryd (12), Bailee Jones (11)
BLOCKS	April Tankersley (4), Brianna Warren (2), Bailee Jones (2)
SERVICE ACES	Raven Oates (1), Abby Farr (1)

 

UP NEXT

The Braves will open up a four-match road trip on Tuesday when they head to Central, S.C., to battle Southern Wesleyan (7-13) in the front half of a home-and-home series in Tysinger Gymnasium. UNCP will close out the home portion of its 2018 schedule against the Warriors on October 30 as well.

 

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JOIN THE BRAVES CLUB

Fans can help support the UNC Pembroke Volleyball program by joining the Braves Club. To find out more information about the Braves Club, visit UNCPBraves.com/BravesClub or email braves.club@uncp.edu.