AIKEN - The Lander volleyball team picked up two more non-conference victories Friday afternoon when the Bearcats defeated Lees-McRae and King College, 3-0, on the first day of the USC Aiken Invitational at the Convocation Center.

The Bearcats improve to 6-1 overall and will play Palm Beach Atlantic and Belmont Abbey on Saturday.

Lander defeated Lees-McCrae, 25-16, 25-15, 25-14, then blanked King (Tenn.) College, 25-20, 25-11, 25-14. 

Against Lees-McRae, Halle Dotson led the Bearcat attack with 13 kills, while Sophia Perkins had 27 assists, Julia Ferreira-Alves 20 digs and Kendall Korte eight kills and 12 digs. Reyonia Whipple led Lander in total blocks with four and Tarryn Angermeier added three to go along with eight kills. Perkins and Mallory Taylor had two service aces apiece.

Lander had a .300 hitting percentage, while holding LMC to .033.

LMC was led by Jariliz Cott (12 kills, 13 digs), Jordan Banta (10 kills, nine digs), Allyson Schillinger (14 assists), and Madison Martin (12 digs).

Against King, Korte registered 13 kills and eight digs, while Ali Kirk had 20 assists, Perkins 12 assists, Ferreira-Alves 15 digs, and Kaitlyn Harrison 12 digs.

King was paced by Sarah Collins (10 kills), Olivia Underwood (24 assists), Amy Serowski (21 digs), and Casey Williams (10 digs).