AIKEN, S.C.--The USC Aiken Lady Pacers (15-10) dropped a 3-1 decision to the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras (18-1) in non-conference volleyball action on Monday night at “The Courthouse”. Game scores were 30-23, 27-30, 30-26, and 30-24. Freshman Mandy Gerolstein registered a career-best 10 blocks in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

As a team, the Lady Pacers recorded a season-high 16.0 team blocks, two better than their 14.0 in a 3-1 win over Eckerd on September 3. Gerolstein had eight kills and two aces for 17.0 points. The 6-1 freshman from Millersville, Md. had four of the 10 blocks of the solo variety. It was the first double-digit block total by a Lady Pacer since Helena Jantti had 10 on September 23, 2003 in match at Presbyterian.

Veronica Seidle notched 16 kills, 10 digs, and two blocks while Jenny Lloyd extended her double-digit kill streak to 26 matches with 15 kills, 11 digs, two blocks, and one ace. Laura Williams added seven kills and five blocks for 10.5 points while setter Rachel Dalitz had four kills, two blocks, and two aces to go with 43 assists.

Shirley Lopez’ 18 kills and three blocks led Puerto Rico, who hit .236 as a team. Carol Pagan added 18 kills and one block while Alexandra Rivera chipped in 11 kills and five blocks.

Puerto Rico broke open game one with a 7-1 run to grab its first double-digit lead at 19-9. Trailing 26-15, however, the Lady Pacers ended the game with a flurry to gain momentum that would prove to be crucial. An 8-1 run that pulled USCA within four at 27-23 was keyed by four blocks by Gerolstein including back-to-back solo blocks. Three straight kills by Puerto Rico halted the rally as they won 30-23.

In game two, Seidle’s six kills led the Lady Pacers to the 30-27 win. Capitalizing on the momentum from game one, USCA used a 4-0 spurt to double up Puerto Rico 8-4. Both of Gerolstein’s aces came in that run. Marivi Lopez’ ace and a blocking error on USCA brought Puerto Rico within a single point at 14-13. But Lloyd had two kills and a solo block to extend the lead back out to five 20-15.

Puerto Rico’s 7-0 run gave them a late 23-22 advantage. Following a Seidle kill, the teams traded points until 27-27. A Lloyd kill capped a 3-0 run to win the game.

Twelve ties characterized the pivotal game three. After a quick 4-0 start by the Lady Pacers, the scored was knotted up at seven and stayed tight throughout. Tied at 26-26, Lopez rang up two kills in a 4-0 run as Puerto Rico took the game 30-26.

In the fourth and final game, a 6-1 Puerto Rico run broke open an early 2-2 tie as the Lady Pacers had to play catch-up throughout and ran out of gas. Lloyd killed an overpass to pull USCA within 26-24, but three kills and a block closed out the match for Puerto Rico 30-24.

USC Aiken will travel to face Newberry College tomorrow at 7:00 PM.

Short Box Score (Match)
Puerto Rico Piedras vs USC Aiken (Oct 18, 2004 at Aiken, S.C.)
Puerto Rico Piedras def. USC Aiken 30-23,27-30,30-26,30-24

Puerto Rico Piedras (18-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Pagan, Carol 18-1-1; Lopez, Shirley 18-1-3; Rivera, Alexandra 11-0-5; Villenueva, Marideli 8-0-4; Vega, Ananis 3-0-0; Lopez, Marivi 3-3-6; Orto, Sasha 1-0-1; Rosario, Miosotys 1-0-0; DeJesus, Karla 1-2-1; Totals 64-7-11.5. (Assists) - DeJesus, Karla 43. (Dig leaders) - DeJesus, Karla 8; Rivera, Alexandra 7.

USC Aiken (15-10) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Seidle, Veronica 16-0-2; Lloyd, Jenny 15-1-2; Gerolstein, Mandy 8-2-10; Williams, Laura 7-0-5; Dalitz, Rachel 4-2-2; Deardorff, Missy 3-0-4; Barcas, Cheryl 0-1-0; Gayle, Brandi 0-1-0; Totals 53-7-16.0. (Assists) - Dalitz, Rachel 43. (Dig leaders) - Lloyd, Jenny 11; Seidle, Veronica 10; Dalitz, Rachel 9.

Site: Aiken, S.C. (The Courthouse)
Date: Oct 18, 2004 Attend: 70 Time: 1:51

Boxscore