GREENWOOD - Freshmen
Gracelyn America and
Madeline Green led the Lander volleyball team Saturday afternoon, with America recording a career-high 15 kills and Green collecting her fourth double-double of the season in a 3-1 loss to the University of South Carolina Aiken at
Finis Horne Arena.
Â
The Bearcats (7-12, 4-5 PBC) dropped their second consecutive four-set match to the Pacers (14-5, 6-3 PBC), who took the Peach Belt Conference contest by set scores of 25-15, 25-21, 27-29 and 25-20.
Â
America led the Bearcats offensively with 15 kills on a .302 hitting percentage, surpassing her previous career high of 13. Green finished with 30 assists, 12 digs and six kills on a .600 hitting percentage.
Â
Quinn Butler continued her strong season with 10 kills and 16 digs, recording her eighth double-double of the year.
Karson Browning added eight kills and five blocks, while
Amelia May contributed four blocks.
Â
Defensively,
Sam Alwardt anchored the Bearcats' back row with a team-high 27 digs and three service aces.
Â
Lander opened the first set with a 6-2 advantage behind back-to-back service aces from Alwardt and kills from Green and Butler. The Pacers responded to take their first lead at 11-10 before the teams continued to trade points. With USCA leading 15-14, the Pacers used a 10-point run to pull away and eventually secured the 25-15 victory.
Â
The Bearcats responded with another strong start in the second set, building an 8-5 lead behind kills from America and
Olivia Shaw and a service ace from
Andrea Crawford. Lander maintained its advantage through the middle of the frame, taking a 16-14 lead before the Pacers rallied with five consecutive points to move ahead 19-16. The Bearcats pulled within two at 22-20 following a kill from Green, but the Pacers closed out the set 25-21.
Â
Facing a two-set deficit, Lander battled through a tightly contested third set to extend the match. The Bearcats used a four-point run midway through the frame, highlighted by a Green service ace and consecutive blocks involving Browning and May, to take a 13-9 advantage. Lander later stretched its lead to 18-12 behind a Butler service ace and an America kill.
Â
USCA responded with a late rally, erasing a 24-20 deficit to tie the set at 24-24. The teams traded points before the Pacers took a 27-26 advantage, but Lander answered with three consecutive points. Back-to-back-to-back attack errors by the Pacers secured the 29-27 victory for the Bearcats.
Â
In the fourth set, Lander erased an early deficit to even the score at 6-6 before the Pacers regained a 13-9 advantage. The Bearcats responded with a four-point run, highlighted by a Green service ace and a Browning kill, to tie the frame at 13-13. The teams remained close until USCA used a five-point stretch to build a 20-15 lead. Lander continued to battle, but the Pacers held on for the 25-20 victory.
Â
The Bearcats finished with 44 kills, seven service aces, seven blocks, and 80 digs. USCA recorded 68 kills and 90 digs to secure the conference victory and series sweep.
Â
Lander will look to bounce back in its final non-conference matchup of the season Tuesday, Oct. 20, when the Bearcats travel to Franklin Springs, Ga., to face Emmanuel at 6 p.m.
