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By: Josh Fuller

AIKEN, S.C. – After taking the first set, the Columbus State University volleyball team fell 3-1 (23-25, 25-14, 25-15, 27-25) to USC Aiken Saturday afternoon. The Peach Belt Conference match took place in the Convocation Center in Aiken, S.C.
 
Mary McCarty was the lone Lady Cougar to record a double figure kill day as the senior slammed down 16. Fellow seniors Megan Frame and Andrea Skipor had eight kills apiece. Caytlin Merritt had a team-high 20 digs while Abby King had 41 assists.
 
"I felt like we didn't play our best today," said head coach Casey Cornett. "We had the momentum after winning the first set and then fell flat. We have to keep our energy level throughout the match and that is something we will work on."
 
Columbus State (10-8, 2-7 PBC) had to rally after falling behind 6-3 early in the opening set. CSU reeled off six of the next seven points to take a 9-7 lead over the Pacers. Frame had two of the seven points for the Lady Cougars.
 
CSU would remain in front until USC Aiken ran off eight of the next 10 points to go in front 19-16.
 
However, the Lady Cougars responded, getting right back in the match with four straight points of their own. Frame was key again with a kill and a block assist with Malaisia Stallworth.
 
In a 20-20 tie, CSU took the lead with three consecutive points to crawl ahead. USC Aiken inched within one, but kills from McCarty and Kylie Beaubien gave CSU the 25-23 set win.
 
Set two was tight early as the Lady Cougars trailed by just one (9-8) after a kill from McCarty. However, the Pacers took control of the set by winning 11 of the next 12 points, including eight straight to go up 20-9 before taking the set 25-14.
 
Columbus State won the first four points to begin set three thanks to kills from Frame and McCarty. The Pacers would respond with five straight points of their own to go in front 5-4 before eventually expanding the lead to 9-6.
 
The Lady Cougars would fight back tying the match at 12 before another prolonged USC Aiken run. The Pacers won the next eight points to take full control of the set.
 
USC Aiken (12-3, 5-2) raced out to a 7-3 lead to start the fourth set before a Lady Cougar rally. CSU fought back and eventually jumped in front 12-10 after winning four straight points.
 
The Lady Cougars would remain in the lead late taking a 20-16 advantage over the Pacers after back-to-back kills from Ashley Smith. After two points from USCA, CSU pulled off three straight points to move ahead 23-18 looking to force a fifth set.
 
However, the Pacers rallied, winning six of the next seven points to knot the score at 24. CSU went up 25-24 after a service error, but USCA would win the final three points of the match to take the set 27-25.
 
Columbus State will have over a week off before taking the court again on Tuesday, October 18 against Southern Wesleyan. The match is set to begin at 7 p.m. in Central, S.C.