TOP-SEEDED LADY PACERS PREPARE FOR PBC TOURNAMENT
HEAVILY FAVORED USC AIKEN SEEKS SECOND-STRAIGHT NCAA BERTH

AIKEN, S.C.-- With a lot on the line, USC Aiken (24-4, 10-0 PBC) heads into this weekend’s Peach Belt Conference Tournament as the heavily favored top seed.  The Lady Pacers ran through the PBC regular season with a perfect 10-0 mark, their first unblemished conference ledger in 15 years.  The 17th edition of the single elimination volleyball tournament begins Saturday morning at Horne Arena on the campus of Lander University in Greenwood, S.C.  (PHOTO BY: Scott Webster)

The defending tournament champions enter the weekend having won 20 of their last 21 matches, but with a number nine ranking in the latest NCAA Regional poll released on Thursday, find themselves having to win the event and secure the league’s automatic bid if the Lady Pacers hope to notch an NCAA Tournament berth for the second-straight year. 

In 10 regular season conference matches, the Lady Pacers were an impressive 30-4 in individual games including a span of 22-straight.  Receiving a first-round pass by virtue of their second-straight, and sixth overall, PBC regular season championship, the Lady Pacers will face the winner of UNC Pembroke and Francis Marion on Saturday, November 10 at 7:00 PM in the second semifinal match-up. 

USCA leads the PBC in hitting percentage, assists, kills, aces, and opponents hitting percentage.  Senior Mandy Gerolstein, the 2006 PBC Tournament MVP, leads the conference and ranks eighth in the nation in hitting percentage at .407.  Stefanie Durham is another potent force, ranking sixth in kills, while Missy Deardorff proved to be one of the best right sides in the South Region this year.

The Lady Pacers are seeking their fifth PBC Tournament title (1991, 1992, 1995, 2006)