FLORENCE, SC – Junior middleblocker Caroline Boone recorded 25 kills and 11 blocks to lead Francis Marion University to a pair of victories on the final day of the annual FMU Invitational Volleyball Tournament, Saturday (Sept. 12) in the Smith University Center.   The Patriots defeated North Greenville University 25-19, 25-9, 25-17 and the University of West Alabama 25-20, 26-28, 27-25, 25-10.

Francis Marion improves to 6-2 and will open Peach Belt Conference play on Friday by hosting Lander University for a 7 p.m. first serve.

In the afternoon win over North Greenville (4-4), freshman Georgia Garrison led the way with 10 kills, nine digs, three service aces, and 22 receptions without an error.  Boone added nine kills and five blocks, while senior Alexzandra Reed tallied seven kills and 10 digs.

Both junior Samantha Hinrichs and freshman Carrie McGinnis dished out 16 assists, while sophomore libero Shelbi Meek dug up 10 balls.

The Patriots hit .322 as a team while holding the Crusaders to an .048 mark.

Against UWA (2-5), Boone accounted for 16 kills and six blocks, while hitting .542 from the floor.  In the Patriots four matches during the weekend event, she hit .461 and averaged 3.14 kills per set.

Garrison added 11 kills against the Tigers, while Meek had a season-high 22 digs.  McGinnis handed out 24 assists and dug up 11 balls, while Hinrichs had 21 assists.

After West Alabama outlasted the Patriots for a 28-26 win in set two to even the match at one set apiece, FMU returned the favor with a 27-25 victory in set three.  A kill by Garrison put the Patriots on top and then Boone and junior Carlie Smith combined to block a UWA attack to close out the set win.

Behind the serving of Reed, Francis Marion scored the opening four points of set four and never trailed en route to the 25-10 win.  FMU hit .308 as a team and held the Tigers to just a .153 percentage. 

Francis Marion Univ. def. North Greenville U. 25-19,25-9,25-17

North Greenville U. (4-4) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Yomi Adeyeye 5-0-1;
Taylor Dupes 4-0-0; Sommer Cagle 4-0-0; Megan Gouge 3-0-2; Haley
Hester 2-0-0; Hannah Lewis 2-0-0; Madison Pogue 2-0-1; Sara Miller
1-0-0; Emily Timms 1-0-0; Anna Muzika 1-0-0; Ashlyn Wilkinson 1-0-0;
Kenzie Pierce 1-0-0; Totals 27-0-2.0. (Assists) - Madison Pogue 20.
(Dig leaders) - Hannah Lewis 16; Madison Pogue 8

Francis Marion Univ. (5-2) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Georgia Garrison
10-3-1; Caroline Boone 9-1-5; Alexzandra Reed 7-3-0; Kadeeja Griffin
4-0-2; Emily Sears 3-0-3; Carlie Smith 3-0-1; Samantha Hinrichs 1-1-0;
Shelbi Meek 0-2-0; Totals 37-10-7.0. (Assists) - Samantha Hinrichs 16;
Carrie McGinnis 16. (Dig leaders) - Alexzandra Reed 10; Shelbi Meek
10; Georgia Garrison 9; Carrie McGinnis 8; Samantha Hinrichs 8

Site: Florence, SC (Smith Univ. Center)
Date: Sep 12, 2015   Attend: 148   Time: 1:02   
Referees: Tony Hill, Ron Muter, Andy Slocum
FMU Invitational Tournament in Florence, SC
Liberos: Meek (FMU), Lewis (NGU)

Francis Marion Univ. def. Univ of West Alabama 25-20,26-28,27-25,25-10

Univ of West Alabama (2-5) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Briana Sandifer
13-0-1; Morgan Ray 12-0-2; Taylin McCarver 9-0-2; Yanesha Johnson
8-0-2; Jaime Lancellot 6-1-2; Callie Murphy 2-0-0; Shanna Witt 1-0-0;
Kimberly Hernanadez 0-1-0; Vic Collins 0-1-0; Totals 51-3-5.0.
(Assists) - Callie Murphy 34. (Dig leaders) - Kimberly Hernanadez 22;
Callie Murphy 17

Francis Marion Univ. (6-2) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Caroline Boone
16-0-6; Georgia Garrison 11-1-0; Alexzandra Reed 9-1-0; Carlie Smith
9-0-3; Emily Sears 6-0-3; Kadeeja Griffin 5-0-1; Carrie McGinnis
2-2-0; Samantha Hinrichs 2-0-0; Totals 60-4-7.0. (Assists) - Carrie
McGinnis 24; Samantha Hinrichs 21. (Dig leaders) - Shelbi Meek 22;
Carrie McGinnis 11; Alexzandra Reed 9; Georgia Garrison 8

Site: Florence, SC (Smith Univ. Center)
Date: Sep 12, 2015   Attend: 146   Time: 1:34   
Referees: Tad Watson, Tony Hill, Shelby Mathews
FMU Invitational Tournament in Florence, SC
Liberos: Meek (FMU), Hernandez (UWA)