FLORENCE, SC – Columbus State University placed three players in double figures for kills as the Cougars defeated Francis Marion University in four sets  (25-20, 23-25, 25-22, 25-20), Friday night (Oct. 10) in Peach Belt Conference volleyball action.

Francis Marion (5-11, 3-5) will have a quick turn-around as the Patriots return to the Smith University Center court on Saturday to host the University of Montevallo.  First serve is set for 2 p.m.  Admission is free.

Junior Alexzandra Reed led FMU with 14 kills and 11 digs for her seventh double-double of the year.  Sophomore middle blocker Caroline Boone added eight kills, three service aces, and a team-high five blocks.

FMU senior setter Sloane Shank handed out 35 assists and also served three aces.  Junior libero Jessica Amador dug up a team-high 17 balls.

Katie Poole led CSU (7-9, 4-4) with 16 kills, while Mary McCarty had 13, and Kylie Beaubien 10.  Sophomore setter Ivana Kazic registered 48 assists and 11 digs, while libero Caytlin Merritt had 20 digs.

The opening set featured 11 ties and five lead changes.  An FMU service error, back-to-back kills by McCarty, and a kill by Beaubien allowed the Cougars to pull away late after leading by only at 20-19.

With the score deadlocked at 23-23 in the second set, FMU benefited from a Columbus State serving error and then clinched the set-win on a kill by Boone off a Shank assist.

Although the score was tied five times in the third set, Columbus State never trailed.  Consecutive kills by McCarty closed out the 25-22 CSU win.  In set four, the Cougars erased a 9-7 Patriot lead with an 8-1 run and were never seriously threatened after that.

Columbus State Univ. def. Francis Marion Univ. 25-20,23-25,25-22,25-20

Columbus State Univ. (7-9 , 4-4 PBC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Katie Poole
16-0-1; Mary McCarty 13-0-0; Kylie Beaubien 11-0-0; Andrea Skipor
5-0-2; Erika Gelzinyte 5-1-2; Megan Frame 5-1-5; Ivana Kazic 4-1-0;
Megan Scharnett 0-1-0; Sabrina Rodgers 0-1-0; Totals 59-5-6.0.
(Assists) - Ivana Kazic 48. (Dig leaders) - Caytlin Merritt 20; Ivana
Kazic 11

Francis Marion Univ. (5-11 , 3-5 PBC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Alexzandra
Reed 14-1-2; Caroline Boone 8-3-5; Meagan Fajman 6-0-1; Shelby Jones
5-0-1; Carlie Smith 5-0-0; Sloane Shank 4-3-2; Chiquita Rivers 2-0-0;
Jessica Amador 1-0-0; Brianna West 0-1-0; Totals 45-8-6.0. (Assists) -
Sloane Shank 35. (Dig leaders) - Jessica Amador 17; Alexzandra Reed
11; Carlie Smith 10; Sloane Shank 8; Brianna West 8

Site: Florence, SC (Smith Univ. Center)
Date: Oct 10, 2014   Attend: 261   Time: 2:00   
Referees: Johnny Guterwill, Rick Laskey
Liberos: Amador (FMU), Merritt (CSU)