AIKEN, S.C. – For the third time this season, and second match in a row, Flagler College recorded 10 or more total blocks, this time 11, in a 3-1 (25-21, 21-25, 25-20, 25-23) win over the University of South Carolina Aiken Friday night at the Convocation Center.

Flagler won its 11^th match in a row and improved to 16-3 overall and 6-1 in the Peach Belt. The Saints also avenged their only loss in conference play. USC Aiken had its 21-match winning streak, and 31 home match winning streak, snapped and fell to 21-3 overall and 7-1 in conference play. The last home loss for the Pacers was to the Saints on Nov. 21, 2015, in the PBC Tournament championship match.

The leader of the block party was senior middle hitter Sara Davis. She finished with 10 total blocks, one shy of her career high. Davis recorded 10 kills, but had four errors on 26 swings for a .231 hitting percentage. Karlie Redfern notched her fifth double-double of the season with 16 kills and 17 digs. She added a season-high five total blocks to her line. Taja Valmyr recorded her 11^th double-double of the year with a team-high 18 kills and 19 digs. Tara Savisky notched her sixth double-double with 46 assists and 14 digs. Kayla Norelli collected a team-high 21 digs.

Alie Smith led the Pacers with a match-high 20 kills and 19 digs. Julia Forster came off the bench to add 14 kills. Emily Teelon recorded a double-double with 46 assists and 15 digs. Rebecca Martinez collected a match-high 32 digs. Alicia Hines recorded four total blocks.

Flagler trailed early (9-3) in the first set, but chipped away and tied the set at 20-all on a spike by Redfern. Back-to-back hitting errors by Smith put the Saints in front 22-20 and forced a USC Aiken timeout. Later, Jordan Taylor's kill gave Flagler a 23-21 lead and two more hitting errors by the Pacers ended the set. USC Aiken only hit .018 in the opening stanza with 14 kills and 13 errors on 56 swings.

In the second set, Davis was on fire for Flagler, but she had little help. She had six kills and two errors on 10 swings to finish with a .400 hitting percentage. Smith found her mark for the Pacers with eight kills on 15 errorless swings. USC Aiken opened on a 7-1 run and never looked back. Flagler was able to whittle the deficit down to two points twice, but couldn't get any closer.

The Saints brought the block party in the third set led by Davis (5) and Redfern (3). Flagler was able to limit USC Aiken to a .058 hitting percentage with 13 kills and 10 errors on 52 swings. Late in the set, a kill by Redfern was followed by a double-block by Redfern and Davis to give the Saints a 21-19 lead. After a Pacer timeout, another double-block, this time by Davis and Cadie O'Hern widened the gap. How about three double-blocks in a row? Redfern and Davis saw to that to give Flagler a 23-19 lead.

The fourth set saw Valmyr record seven kills and finish with a .320 hitting percentage. There were 11 ties and four lead changes in the final set. Avery Macklin and Alicia Hines blocked an attempt by Valmyr to tie the score at 23, but undaunted, Valmyr put away the last two attempts to end the match.

Flagler remains in the Palmetto State to take on Erskine College in a non-conference match tomorrow (Oct. 28) at 3 p.m.    



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