FLORENCE, SC – Despite having four players with double-figure kills, Francis Marion University dropped a five-set decision (17-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-27, 15-12) to Queens University of Charlotte, Tuesday night (Oct. 13) in non-conference women's volleyball action.

Francis Marion (11-8) will take to the road this weekend for a pair of Peach Belt Conference matches: at Columbus State University on Friday at 7 p.m. and at the University of Montevallo on Saturday at 3 p.m.  The next home contest for FMU will be the program's annual Dig Pink match on Oct. 23 against Flagler College at 7 p.m.

Senior Alexzandra Reed led the Patriots with 14 kills, while both junior Carlie Smith and freshman Georgia Garrison registered 13 apiece. Garrison and Smith dug up 11 and 10 balls respectively to complete a pair of double-doubles.  Junior middleblocker Caroline Boone added 10 kills and three blocks.

Sophomore libero Shelbi Meek again led FMU defensively with 19 digs, while the setting tandem of freshman Carrie McGinnis (26) and junior Samantha Hinrichs (21) combined for 47 assists.

Sophomore Jessica Raines led Queens (6-10) with 17 kills.  Junior libero Megan Mancini recorded a match-high 32 digs, while setters Sydney Kunz (26) and Annika Jones (21) also combined for 47 assists.

Queens tallied 13 service aces, including three apiece by Mancini and Taylor Henry.

Francis Marion won the opening set relatively easily, but the second set featured seven ties and five lead changes.  Kills by Meredith Jones and Raines broke a 23-23 deadlock and evened the match at one set each. FMU sprinted to a 14-6 lead in the third set only to see Queens put together a 15-2 run to take a 21-16 lead en route to a 25-22 win.  The Patriots then evened the match with a miraculous rally that wiped out a 24-22 Queens' advantage in set four.  Back-to-back kills by Smith and Boone provided the deciding points.

The fifth set was deadlocked at 9-9 before the Royals pulled away for the clinching win.

Queens U / Charlotte def. Francis Marion Univ. 17-25,25-23,25-22,25-27,15-12

Queens U / Charlotte (6-10) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Jessica Raines
17-0-1; Meredith Jones 10-0-2; Rebecca Cochran 8-1-2; Taylor Henry
7-3-3; Elizabeth Bialkowski 7-0-3; Kelsey McCormick 6-2-0; Annika
Jones 1-2-0; Sydney Kunz 0-2-0; Megan Mancini 0-3-0; Totals 56-13-6.0.
(Assists) - Sydney Kunz 26; Annika Jones 21. (Dig leaders) - Megan
Mancini 32; Rebecca Cochran 12; Kelsey McCormick 9

Francis Marion Univ. (11-8) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Alexzandra Reed
14-2-0; Georgia Garrison 13-2-1; Carlie Smith 13-1-2; Caroline Boone
10-2-3; Samantha Hinrichs 4-0-2; Kadeeja Griffin 2-0-2; Shelbi Meek
0-2-0; Totals 56-9-5.0. (Assists) - Carrie McGinnis 26; Samantha
Hinrichs 21. (Dig leaders) - Shelbi Meek 19; Georgia Garrison 11;
Carlie Smith 10; Alexzandra Reed 8

Site: Florence, SC (Smith Univ. Center)
Date: Oct 13, 2015   Attend: 101   Time: 2:02    
Referees: Darryl Buck, Kirsten Boessneck, S.Cooper, S.Lpoez
Liberos: Meek (FMU), Mancini (QU)