AUGUSTA, GA – The Francis Marion University women's volleyball team swept a pair of Peach Belt Conference matches on the road this weekend (Nov. 8-9) to reach the 20-win mark.  On Friday night, FMU defeated Georgia College in four sets, 25-15, 23-25, 25-19, 25-19, and on Saturday afternoon the Patriots beat GRU Augusta in straight sets 25-14, 25-18, 25-16.

Francis Marion improves to 20-6 overall and reaches the 20-win plateau for the 17th time in team history and the first time since 2008. At 11-4 in the Peach Belt, the Patriots own sole possession of second place.

FMU will play host to 19th-ranked and conference-leading Armstrong Atlantic State University (24-1, 15-0) on Tuesday evening (Nov. 12) at 7 p.m. in the Smith University Center.

On Saturday, junior Emily Sears led the Patriots with 10 kills, while sophomore Alexzandra Reed had six kills and three blocks.  Senior setter Kailey Smith set up 23 assists and junior libero Rebekah Davis dug up a team-high 10 balls. FMU outhit GRU Augusta .253 to .107 and had 10 blocks to the Jaguars' four.

The Patriots started on a 4-0 run in set one with Paige Perreault on serve. Perreault finished the match with three service aces.  Jags junior Kristen Koch got GRU on the board with a kill that led to five consecutive points, but constant attacks from the left side gave FMU a 25-14 set-one victory.

Down in set two, the Jags rallied to tie the score at 4-4 and took the lead on a Paige Tuttle kill. It wasn't enough as FMU responded to claim a 15-8 advantage and held on for a 25-18 set victory. The Patriots started the third and final set with a 5-0 run and stayed ahead for a 25-16 win.

On Friday in Milledgeville, Ga., Sears paced four Patriots with double-figure kills.  She pounded out 17 kills with only four errors in 37 total swings for an attach percentage of .351.  Both Reed and senior middleblocker Megan Mooney each added 12 kills and three blocks, while senior Jessica Imbimbo tallied 10 kills, 19 digs, and three service aces.

Smith dished out 53 assists and Davis recorded 13 digs.

FMU took the first set 25-15, but lost a close 25-23 decision in the second set – a set that featured 11 ties and five lead changes. The Patriots hit a sizzling .417 in the third set en route to a 25-19 win and then closed out the match with an identical 25-19 victory in set four.