AIKEN, S.C. - Florida Southern College volleyball fell in its opening match of the USC Aiken Invitational as they lost 3-0 to the tournament host on Friday night at the USC Aiken Convocation Center. The Moccasins (1-4) battled the Pacers (5-0) in every set, dropping the first set 27-25 and the second and third sets by identical 25-21 scorelines. The Mocs will look to rebound tomorrow as they take on Lee (10 a.m.) and Lander (3 p.m.).

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first set between the Moccasins and the Pacers saw an intense and closely-fought battle, with neither team leading by more than three for the entirety of the set. Trailing 22-21, the Moccasins rattled off three-straight points on two kills and an ace by Erica Ronda to pull ahead, 24-22. However, USC Aiken capitalized on four Florida Southern errors in a 5-1 run to take the first set, 27-25.
• The Pacers streaked ahead in the second set with an early 5-2 lead before the Moccasins mounted a 9-1 run on three Rachael Martin kills (11-6). The two squads would split points over the middle of the set with the Moccasins holding a slight edge (19-16). The Pacers repeated their first-set performance with another run, this time a 9-2 streak that benefited from four Moccasin errors, to win the set, 25-21.
• The third set was a near carbon copy of the second, as the Pacers again pulled ahead with a 5-2 lead that diminished after a 14-6 resurgence from the Moccasins (16-11). Five kills from Christine Carroll and three errors by the Moccasins swung the momentum back to the home side as they went ahead, 20-19. USC Aiken closed out the set and match on a 5-2 run that saw Southern commit two service errors and two attacking errors, giving the Pacers another 25-21 set win.
• Ronda led the Moccasins with 11 kills and additionally recorded eight digs, while both Martin and Tierra Porter finished with seven kills each. Martin led the Mocs with four blocks, Mika Garza led with 28 assists and Beatrice Formilan led with 20 digs on the night.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• The win marks the first in the series for the Pacers against the Moccasins, where Southern now leads 8-1 all-time. This was the first meeting between the two at Aiken, S.C.
• In her first five matches as a Moccasin, Formilan has recorded 97 digs in 19 sets. Her 5.11 digs per set leads the team and is currently the third-best in the Sunshine State Conference.
• The Moccasins recorded eight aces on the night. Ronda leads the team and is third in the conference in aces per set (0.53). She also leads the team and is sixth-best in the conference in total aces (10).
• The Moccasins continue to see defensive toughness from Porter and Martin, who so far this season have recorded 17 and nine blocks, respectively.

UP NEXT

• The Moccasins return to action on Saturday with two more contests at the USC Aiken Invitational, with matches against Lee at 10 a.m. and Lander at 3 p.m. Southern will then return home and prepare for its opening weekend of conference action against Saint Leo on Sept. 20 and Eckerd on Sept. 21.