AIKEN, S.C.--USC Aiken’s Mandy Gerolstein and Rachel Dalitz have been selected as the Peach Belt Conference Volleyball Player and Specialist of the Week, the conference office announced Monday afternoon. It is the second selection for Gerolstein in the past three weeks with the Lady Pacers having claimed the honor three of the last four weeks. Dalitz picked up her second career Specialist of the Week, the first for USCA this year (PICTURED MANDY GEROLSTEIN AND RACHEL DALITZ).

“We’ve had some individual honors already this year, but this is sweeter because they came with two solid road victories,” said USCA head coach Will Condon, who picked up his 100th victory on Saturday at UNC Pembroke. “Any road conference win is big and for us to come home with two in one week is a big plus for the team.”

Gerolstein averaged 4.38 kills and 2.25 blocks per game while hitting an amazing .545 in the team’s two road conference wins. In a big 3-1 win at Francis Marion on Tuesday night, Gerolstein had 19 kills, three service aces, three digs, and six blocks hitting .400. In a 3-1 win at UNC Pembroke on Saturday, she upped those numbers to 16 kills and no errors on 20 attacks for an .800 hitting percentage to go with a career-best 12 blocks and two aces.

“Mandy certainly had a dominating week. She was extremely motivated for the match against Francis Marion and was able to carry that momentum into the match on Saturday against UNC Pembroke,” said Condon. “I think her numbers speak for themselves. To hit .800 in a match with 20 attempts is remarkable.”

The 6-1 sophomore from Millersville, Md. continues to lead the conference in hitting percentage at .333 while moving up to third in blocks (1.17). She is also sixth in kills (3.31) and ninth in service aces (0.40).

Dalitz averaged 11.88 assists, 1.88 digs, and 0.75 service aces per game in the two road matches. In the win at FMU, Dalitz registered 52 assists, 11 digs, three blocks, and four aces. Against UNC Pembroke, the 5-9 senior setter from Orange, Calif. recorded 43 assists, four digs, and two aces while guiding the team to a season-best .407 hitting percentage.

“Rachel has been playing at a high level for most of the year. Her numbers have not shown it because we were running a 6-2, but in her three rotations she has been doing exceptionally well for us all year,” said Condon. “I expect she will continue to play at a high level all year with this being her senior season. She has very high expectations of herself and of the team.”

After switching from a 6-2 to a one-setter lineup this past week, Dalitz has been climbing the PBC rankings to fifth in assists (7.17) and fourth in service aces (0.57).

Gerolstein and Dalitz are the 15th and 16th PBC Player/Specialist of the Week selections during Condon’s six-year tenure and the 26th and 27th in the program’s 15-year NCAA history.

USC Aiken will step out of conference to compete in the Rollins/South Region Challenge in Winter Park, Fla. this weekend, October 14-15. The Lady Pacers will square off against St. Leo and Florida Tech on Friday and then face Rollins on Saturday.