AIKEN, S.C. – Victoria Bowrosen's 12 kills paired with Logan Garcia's 11 kills and six total blocks helped rally Flagler College past USC Aiken 3-1 (18-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-23) in a Peach Belt Conference volleyball match Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center.

Flagler improved to 10-3 overall and 8-1 in the Peach Belt. The Saints won both matches against the Pacers this season, which is the first time that has happened since 2013. USC Aiken dropped to 5-3 overall and in conference play.

"What an unbelievably gutsy performance by our team today," said head coach Matt Affolder. "To go into a very difficult place to play like Aiken after the tough match less than 20 hours ago in Augusta, and then deal once again with some injury and lineup changes, I am so proud of every player and their ability to stay mentally strong and connected to each other. We were very tight and a step behind the tempo to start the match, but we really stepped up our serving pressure as the match wore on and our team defense did a great job executing the changes we were making play to play." 

Kennedy Muff just missed a triple-double as she finished with 36 assists, nine kills, and nine digs. She also had three total blocks. Jordan Taylor contributed eight kills and two block assists. Karolina Garstka collected a team-high 23 digs. Sarah-Kate Thompson added a career-high 14 digs.

"I think this was one of Sarah Kate's best matches as her service pressure and defense, especially in the plus-20's was outstanding," said Affolder. "The threat that Kennedy poses offensively along with her incredible leadership/encouragement energized us and kept us focused on the next point. Tori and Morgan (Hall) both did an incredible job on the outside as we were switching up roles within our system throughout the match, and Tori especially played big-time with the load she carried for 6-rotations."

Alie Smith led the Pacers with 19 kills while Caroline Foster recorded a double-double with 39 assists and 10 digs. Kari Mercer collected a match-high 29 digs. And Alisha Pitt had five total blocks.

USC Aiken opened the first set on a 5-0 tear and never trailed. Smith had five kills and had six digs. Garcia led the Saints with four kills.

The Saints got behind 5-0 again in the second set, but caught the Pacers after a kill by Bowrosen knotted the score at 10. Later, Flagler took a 17-16 lead on a double-block by Taylor and Lindsay Glynn and the Saints never relinquished the lead. Taylor hit .714 in that set as she had five kills on seven errorless swings. Garstka had nine digs. Foster tallied 13 assists for the Pacers.

Flagler never trailed in the third set, but the score was tied at 20. Muff broke the tie with a pair of kills. Bowrosen led the Saints with seven kills as she hit .545 with just one error on 11 swings. Smith led the Pacers with six kills.

The fourth set saw three ties and three lead changes, just like the second set. USC Aiken held a 23-20 lead late, but a kill by Muff along with a Pacer hitting error and a solo block by Muff tied the set at 23. Coming out of a USC Aiken timeout, Bowrosen put away a kill to set up match point and an attack by the Pacers went long.

Flagler returns home for its next three matches, which will start with Friday's (April 2) contest against Young Harris College at 6 p.m.

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