USC Aiken USCA 11-3,3-1 Peach Belt

Lander Lander 12-3,2-0 Peach Belt

USC Aiken USCA

11-3,3-1 Peach Belt

Final

Oct. 19, 2024

Lander Lander

12-3,2-0 Peach Belt

Set Scores
Team	1	2	3	F
USC Aiken USCA	8	19	16	(0)
Lander Lander	25	25	25	(3)

Summary
Box Score

Turner Kirby

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | 10/19/2024 5:38:00 PM | Hailey Franklin - Assistant Sports Information Director

Bearcats Out-Pace USC Aiken to Stay Perfect in the PBC

GREENWOOD - The Lander University volleyball team handed USC Aiken their first loss in the Peach Belt by putting on a masterful display, sweeping the Pacers in straight sets (25-8, 25-19, 25-16) at Horne Arena.

The Bearcats controlled the match from start to finish, combining a powerful offense with relentless defense to claim a convincing victory in front of their home crowd. With this victory, Lander improves to 12-3 overall and 2-0 in the Peach Belt, while USC Aiken drops to 11-3 and 3-1 in PBC play.

"We wanted to set the tone early with our serve game. I think we accomplished that with five aces in the first set and a number of serves that kept them out of system," said Head Coach Jeff Reynolds. "That helped us set the tone for the rest of the match for sure."

How it Happened

Set 1: Lander wasted no time establishing its dominance, starting with a remarkable 9-0 run fueled by solid serving from Lauren Dow and an outstanding all-around performance from Blondie Penaflor. Penaflor led the way with efficient kills and flawless defense, posting a 1.000 hitting percentage (3-for-3) with seven blocks in this set. Lander's defense was rock-solid, allowing USC Aiken no breathing room, which led to multiple attack errors from their opponents and a -.217 hitting percentage.

Set 2: USC Aiken showed signs of life in the second set, pushing Lander to their limits with tighter rallies and more consistent play. However, Lander's Olivia Dow and Katie Miller answered with a potent offensive output, combining for critical kills that kept USC Aiken at bay. Lander's well-coordinated plays, directed by setter L. Dow's 30 assists, continued to slice through USC Aiken's defense. The Bearcats' relentless net play and timely blocks by Penaflor and Miller proved crucial in halting the Pacers' momentum.

Set 3: In the final set, Lander regained complete control, once again overpowering USC Aiken with their high-efficiency offense, led by the dynamic duo of Miller and Penaflor. Penaflor's steady play at the net and Miller's powerful kills were unstoppable, sealing the victory for the Bearcats. The team displayed remarkable composure, turning tight moments into points and closing the match with a dominating .464 hitting percentage in the set.

Key Performances

Blondie Penaflor led with nine blocks, nine kills, and a stellar .818 hitting percentage, adding 15.5 points
Katie Miller recorded 11 kills, three blocks, and an overall 13.5 points, anchoring the offensive front
Olivia Dow delivered eight kills and added solid defensive plays, contributing 9.5 points.
Lauren Dow provided 30 assists, six service aces, and a commanding presence that kept the team's rhythm flowing

Final Thoughts

"I have to give credit to Coach Kathryn Settle for coming up with an offensive game plan that really helped keep their defense guessing," said Reynolds.

"It was a solid game from start to finish. It's nice to see everything coming together at the right time. I couldn't be more proud of the team's work this week. To come back from an 18-day layoff due to the storm and to watch the team work so hard has been a credit to their determination and pursuit of our team goals."

UP NEXT
The Bearcats will travel to Pembroke, N.C., on Tuesday, Oct. 22, for a match against UNC Pembroke starting at 2:30 p.m. Lander will look to continue its five-match win streak.

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