FLORENCE, SC – Senior Caroline Boone and junior Erika Hartings combined for 27 kills and a .346 attack percentage, while senior Carlie Smith served through a decisive fourth-set run to help power Francis Marion University to a 25-19, 25-17, 20-25, 25-12 win over conference-leading Armstrong State University, Friday night (Oct. 14) in Peach Belt Conference women's volleyball action.

Francis Marion, playing for the first time in 13 days due to Hurricane Matthew, improves to 11-6 overall and 5-3 in the Peach Belt.  The Patriots snapped Armstrong State's 10-match winning streak and handed the Pirates (14-2, 4-1) their first conference loss of 2016.  Armstrong State, also playing for the first time in 13 days, was among the other schools receiving votes in this week's AVCA Division II Top 25 poll.

In Friday's opening match in the Smith University Center, Flagler College defeated UNC Pembroke 25-18, 25-12, 25-14.

The unusual two-day PBC event, again forced by the circumstances set forth by the hurricane, will conclude on Saturday with UNCP playing Armstrong State at 1 p.m. and FMU entertaining now-conference-leading Flagler at 3 p.m. Admission is free.

Boone led the Patriots with 14 kills, five blocks, and four service aces, while Hartings registered a season-high 13 kills and hit for a .391 percentage.  Sophomore Georgia Garrison added 11 kills and 13 digs.

Sophomore setter Carrie McGinnis directed the FMU offense with 43 assists and 10 digs, while freshman libero Natalie Vaughn dug up 17 balls.

Raquel Kulak paced Armstrong State with 13 kills and six blocks, while Raegan Grooms tallied 10 kills and 11 digs.  Setter Carley Eiken recorded 32 assists.

Francis Marion claimed the opening set by hitting .314 as a team.  After Armstrong State opened set two with a pair of points, Smith served through an 8-0 FMU spurt giving the Patriots a lead they would not relinquish.

Armstrong State took the third set by closing with an 8-4 run.

The fourth set featured ties on every point up through 8-8.  With Francis Marion holding a slim 10-9 advantage, Boone took a McGinnis set and pounded out a kill and Smith then served through the conclusion of a 6-0 spurt.  Later, Boone served a pair of aces as Francis Marion claimed the 25-12 victory. 

The Patriots have beaten the Pirates each of the past two seasons in Florence.

Francis Marion Univ. def. Armstrong State Univ 25-19,25-17,20-25,25-12

Armstrong State Univ (14-2 , 4-1 PBC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Raquel
Kulak 13-0-6; Raegan Grooms 10-1-2; Rachel Thompson 7-0-5; Iva
Scepanovic 3-1-0; Madison Sox 2-0-1; Isabel Fabacher 1-0-2; Autumn
Mayo 1-0-0; Kim Brody 1-0-0; Brylie Barnette 0-2-0; Kristi Vaughn
0-1-0; Carley Eiken 0-0-2; Totals 38-5-12.0. (Assists) - Carley Eiken
32. (Dig leaders) - Iva Scepanovic 14; Raegan Grooms 11; Brittany
Hereth 9; Kristi Vaughn 8

Francis Marion Univ. (11-6 , 5-3 PBC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Caroline
Boone 14-4-5; Erika Hartings 13-0-2; Georgia Garrison 11-0-1; Carlie
Smith 8-1-1; Lenee' Blot 3-0-2; Carrie McGinnis 2-0-1; Shelbi Meek
0-2-0; Natalie Vaughn 0-1-0; Totals 51-8-7.0. (Assists) - Carrie
McGinnis 43. (Dig leaders) - Natalie Vaughn 17; Georgia Garrison 13;
Shelbi Meek 12; Carrie McGinnis 10; Carlie Smith 8

Site: Florence, SC (Smith Univ. Center)
Date: Oct 14, 2016   Attend: 193   Time: 1:50   
Referees: Ron Zientek, Michael Holder, P.Poston & J.Allen
Liberos: Vaughn (FMU), Scepanovic, Hereth (ASU)