FLORENCE, SC – Columbus State University used a 7-3 run midway through the fifth and final set to hand Francis Marion University a 22-25, 25-16, 25-13, 15-25, 15-12 loss in the regular-season finale for both squads, Saturday afternoon (Nov. 16) in Peach Belt Conference women's volleyball action.

Francis Marion finishes with a 21-8 overall record, the program's best mark in five seasons.  The Patriots and Columbus State (20-10) finish deadlocked for third place in the final PBC standings with identical 12-6 records. 

By virtue of conference tiebreakers, FMU will earn the third seed for next weekend's Peach Belt Tournament, which will be hosted by Francis Marion in the Smith University Center.  The Patriots will play sixth-seeded USC Aiken in the fourth and final quarterfinal match on Friday at 4 p.m.  The tournament semifinals are set for Saturday at 12 and 2 p.m. with the title match on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Sophomore Alexzandra Reed led FMU with 15 kills, while junior Emily Sears added 13 kills and senior Jessica Imbimbo 12.  Imbimbo also dug up 12 balls to record her 12th double-double of the season.  Junior setter Sloane Shank tallied 37 assists, 13 digs, and two service aces, while junior libero Rebekah Davis recorded a team-high 19 digs.

Katie Poole was one of three Lady Cougars to post a double-double with 19 kills and 14 digs.  Erika Gelzinyte registered 14 kills and 19 digs, while setter Kierston Smith handed out 49 assists and dug up 16 balls.

After the Patriots claimed a tight 25-22 win in the opening set, CSU rolled to relatively easy wins in sets two and three to take a 2-1 advantage.  Francis Marion responded by never trailing in set four, helped a combined 11 kills from Reed and Imbimbo, to force a decisive fifth set.

Trailing 4-3 in the final contest, Columbus State put together its 7-3 spurt to take a 10-7 lead.  FMU closed to within 13-11 after a kill by Shank off a Sears' assists, but kills by Mary McCarty and Poole gave the Lady Cougars the victory.