FLORENCE, SC – A 6-0 run early in the fifth and final set allowed Flagler College to escape with a 25-19, 23-25, 23-25, 25-22, 15-11 Peach Belt Conference victory over Francis Marion University, Friday night (Oct. 23) in women's volleyball action.

Francis Marion (12-10, 5-6) will quickly return to PBC action when the Patriots entertain conference-leading Armstrong State University on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Smith University.  Friday's contest was FMU's annual Dig Pink Match to raise funds for and awareness of breast cancer.

Senior Alexzandra Reed led Francis Marion with 15 kills, 12 digs, and four service aces.  Junior Carlie Smith tallied 14 kills, 20 digs, and six blocks, while junior middleblocker Caroline Boone added 11 kills.

Junior setter Samantha Hinrichs handed out 23 assists, while freshman Carrie McGinnis dished out 18.  Sophomore libero Shelbi Meek registered her second 30-dig match of the season with a team-high 32.

Sophomore Taja Valmyr led Flagler (14-5, 7-3) with 16 kills, while Sara Davis added 11 kills and three service aces.  Freshman setter Tara Savisky recorded 41 assists and 18 digs, while senior libero Caitlyn Kovach dug up a match-high 36 balls.

After dropping the opening set, Francis Marion rallied with a pair of tight 25-23 wins.  In the second of those set-wins, FMU trailed 20-16 before closing with a 9-3 run that included four aces from Reed and a pair of kills by Smith.

Flagler snapped a 20-20 deadlock in the fourth set with a trio of kills, including two by Valmyr, en route to the 25-22 win.  The Patriots trailed 3-2 in the fifth set when Flagler put together its 6-0 spurt that produced a commanding 9-2 advantage.  FMU did close to within 13-10, but a kill and a solo block by Valmyr accounted for the Saints' final two points.

Flagler College def. Francis Marion Univ. 25-19,23-25,23-25,25-22,15-11

Flagler College (14-5 , 7-3 PBC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Taja Valmyr
16-0-3; Sara Davis 11-3-1; Megan Hooks 8-1-0; Genel Sturgeon 7-0-2;
Ashley Cheewah 5-0-4; Shea Hamilton 3-4-0; Tara Savisky 2-2-0; Caitlyn
Kovach 0-2-0; Ashley Lechleidner 0-1-0; Totals 52-13-6.0. (Assists) -
Tara Savisky 41. (Dig leaders) - Caitlyn Kovach 36; Tara Savisky 18;
Shea Hamilton 14

Francis Marion Univ. (12-10, 5-6 PBC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Alexzandra
Reed 15-4-0; Carlie Smith 14-1-6; Caroline Boone 11-1-2; Georgia
Garrison 6-1-1; Kadeeja Griffin 3-0-5; Carrie McGinnis 1-0-0; Samantha
Hinrichs 1-0-1; Emily Stanley 0-1-0; Totals 51-8-8.0. (Assists) -
Samantha Hinrichs 23; Carrie McGinnis 18. (Dig leaders) - Shelbi Meek
32; Carlie Smith 20; Alexzandra Reed 12; Georgia Garrison 9

Site: Florence, SC (Smith Univ. Center)
Date: Oct 23, 2015   Attend: 181   Time: 2:17    
Referees: Robert Webb, Steve Truckenbrod, L.Carpenter, J.Allen
Liberos: Meek (FMU), Kovach (FC)