Pirates Close Out USC Aiken Invitational With Two Wins

AIKEN, S.C. - The Armstrong Atlantic State volleyball squad rebounded from its first loss of the 2009 season with a pair of wins on Saturday at the 2009 USC Aiken Pacer Invitational. The Pirates swept past St. Andrews, 3-0, then overcame a two sets to one deficit to defeat Catwaba, 3-2, in a rematch of the 2008 NCAA DII Southeast Region final.

The Pirates (6-1) opened up the day with a 25-18, 25-16, 25-10 sweep of St. Andrews Presbyterian (5-2). The Pirates hit .320 as a team, led by 12 kills and a .308 percentage from sophomore Torrie Bevolo, as well as 10 kills from freshman Kathrin Standhardinger, who had no errors in 13 attacks for an outstanding .769 hitting percentage.

Kristin Standhardinger led the Pirates with 38 assists and Bevolo led the Pirates defensively with 11 digs. St. Andrews was led by Jaime Hayes' 10 assists and Courtney McDonald's nine digs.

In the second match, the two teams that met for the 2008 Southeast Region title in Wingate matched up for the first time since that 3-0 victory by AASU that sent the Pirates to the Elite Eight. Catawba (5-2) looked to be on its way for revenge, taking the first set, 25-19, and the third set, 25-18, but the serving of the Pirates came alive in the final two sets as AASU held the Indians to just 15 points combined, winning 25-10 and 15-5. Natalie Edgeworth put the match away in the fifth set, serving five straight points in taking a 5-3 AASU lead and extending it to 10-3.

AASU collected 13 service aces in the match, four from Edgeworth and four from Torrie Bevolo. As a team, the Pirates hit .229 and placed four players in double digit kills, led by a season-high 17 kills from Kathrin Standhardinger, who hit .484. Amy Birkemeier collected a career-high 16 kills, while Michele Remlinger added 14 kills and Bevolo notched 10.

Catawba's Taylor Doss was the only Indian player to reach double figures, collecting 13 in the match. Kristin Standhardinger tallied a season-high 59 assists for the Pirates, while Megan Courson delivered 28 assists. Catawba's Mai Zoua Lo led all players defensively with 25 digs, while Casey Howett led a quartet of Pirates in double digit digs with 16.

AASU finished the Invitational with a 2-1 record. Three players were named to the USCA Invitational All-Tournament Team - Kathrin Standhardinger, Kristin Standhardinger and Michele Remlinger.

The Pirates return to action on Friday, September 11, hosting the 2009 AASU Chatham Orthopedics Pirate Volleyball Classic. AASU will face another tough region foe in Wingate at 7:00 p.m. on Friday in its first match.