GREENWOOD, SC (Sept. 21, 2013) – Sophomore Alexzandra Reed tallied a career-high 23 kills, and the Francis Marion University volleyball team defeated Lander University 3-2 (25-17, 28-26, 20-25, 22-25, 15-11) Saturday afternoon for its sixth straight victory.

FMU improves to 8-1 overall on the season, the best season start since 1998. The Patriots also sit atop the Peach Belt Conference standings with a 3-0 record in conference play.

The Patriots will start a three-match home stand Wednesday, Sept. 25, as they take on PBC foe UNC Pembroke at 7 p.m. The match will be the annual Sea of Red event, featuring all FMU student-athletes in attendance.

Reed picked up her 23 kills on 66 attempts, with only three errors to compile a .303 hitting percentage. Senior Jessica Imbimbo added a double-double with 27 digs and 15 kills, while Junior Emily Sears chipped in 16 kills. Senior setter Kailey Smith also picked up a double-double with 59 assists and 21 digs.  Junior libero Rebekah Davis dug up a career-high 32 balls.

Kaitlyn Harrison paced Lander (8-3, 1-2) with 16 kills, while Sarah Bradley added 35 digs.

The Patriots lead the first set wire-to-wire, and used a 7-1 run midway through the set to cruise to a 25-17 victory. After FMU came from behind and took the second set 28-26, Lander stormed back, and forced a fourth set with a 25-20 third set victory.

Riding the momentum from the third set victory, Lander jumped out to a 14-10 lead midway through the fourth set, forcing a Patriot timeout. Following the timeout, both teams traded points before FMU reeled off a 5-0 run to take an 18-17 lead.

With the set tied at 20-20, the Patriots took two straight points, and took a 22-20 lead late in the set to force a bearcat timeout. The break would prove to be a success for the Bearcats, as they would score the next five points to win the fourth set 25-22, forcing the decisive fifth set.  

In the fifth set, FMU held a slim 6-5 lead before reeling off a 6-1 run, and taking an 11-6 lead. However, Lander wouldn't go quietly and cut the Patriot lead down to two at 12-10. That would be as close as the Bearcats would get, as FMU would finish the match on a 3-1 run, and win the fifth set 15-11 on Reed's 23rd kill of the match. 

Francis Marion Univ. def. Lander 25-17,28-26,20-25,22-25,15-11

Francis Marion Univ. (8-1, 3-0 PBC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Alexzandra
Reed 23-1-3; Emily Sears 16-0-3; Jessica Imbimbo 15-0-3; Megan Mooney
6-0-5; Shelby Jones 5-0-6; Kailey Smith 0-0-1; Rebekah Davis 0-1-0;
Brianna West 0-1-0; Totals 65-3-12.0. (Assists) - Kailey Smith 59.
(Dig leaders) - Rebekah Davis 32; Jessica Imbimbo 27; Kailey Smith 21;
Paige Perreault 16; Brianna West 9

Lander (8-3, 1-2 PBC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Kaitlyn Harrison 16-0-2;
Tarryn Angermeier 14-2-2; Hannah Dederick 14-0-4; Kendall Korte
13-0-2; Julia Ferreira-Alves 4-0-0; Kristen Dodge 2-0-1; Jessica
Register 1-1-0; Kiki Hennessey 0-2-0; Totals 64-5-6.0. (Assists) -
Jessica Register 57. (Dig leaders) - Sarah Bradley 35; Jessica
Register 27; Kaitlyn Harrison 22; Julia Ferreira-Alves 17; Kiki
Hennessey 12

Site: Greenwood, S.C. (Horne Arena)
Date: Sep 21, 2013   Attend: 175   Time: 2:20    
Referees: Dianne Penner, Johnny Guterwill