FLORENCE, SC – Despite double-digit kill efforts from four players, Francis Marion University dropped a narrow four-set decision (25-21, 22-25, 25-22, 27-25) to conference-leading Flagler College, Saturday afternoon (Oct. 15) in Peach Belt Conference women's volleyball action.

Earlier in the day, Armstrong State University defeated UNC Pembroke 25-23, 25-17, 26-24 as part of the two-day PBC event in the Smith University Center.

Francis Marion drops to 11-7 overall and 5-4 in the Peach Belt, while the 10-4 Saints remain the only unbeaten squad left in the PBC at 6-0.

The Patriots will take to the road next weekend to play at the University of Montevallo on Friday at 7 p.m. (Eastern Time) and at Columbus State University on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Senior middle blocker Caroline Boone paced FMU with 15 kills, while both senior Carlie Smith and junior Erika Hartings tallied 11 kills and sophomore Georgia Garrison 10. Smith also led the Patriots with four blocks.  Garrison added 15 digs.

Freshman libero Natalie Vaughn dug up a career-high 20 balls and served five aces, while sophomore setter Carrie McGinnis registered 47 assists on 136 attempts.

Sara Davis led a quartet of Saints in double figures for kills with 13.  Setter Tara Savisky handed out 39 assists and dug up 12 balls.

Flagler erased an 11-9 deficit with four straight points and would not trail again in taking the first set 25-21.  Like the opening set, the second set also featured nine ties, the last at 22-22.  A bad set by the Saints gave FMU the lead and Vaughn followed with a service ace and Smith a kill to knot the contest heading into the intermission.

The third set featured 13 ties and four lead changes.  However, five straight Patriot attack errors gave Flagler a 23-20 advantage they would not relinquish.  Boone tallied seven of her kills in the third set.

The fourth set was back-and-forth, but consecutive attack errors by Francis Marion accounted for the final two Flagler points in a marathon 27-25 clinching victory.

Flagler College def. Francis Marion Univ. 25-21,22-25,25-22,27-25

Flagler College (10-4 , 6-0 PBC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Sara Davis
13-1-5; Taja Valmyr 10-3-2; Ashley Cheewah 10-0-3; Megan Hooks 10-0-3;
Rachel Bryant 5-0-2; Tara Savisky 3-3-0; Kayla Norelli 0-2-0; Totals
51-9-8.0. (Assists) - Tara Savisky 39. (Dig leaders) - Rachel Porada
16; Kayla Norelli 16; Tara Savisky 12; Taja Valmyr 10

Francis Marion Univ. (11-7 , 5-4 PBC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Caroline
Boone 15-1-3; Erika Hartings 11-0-1; Carlie Smith 11-0-4; Georgia
Garrison 10-0-0; Lenee' Blot 4-0-2; Carrie McGinnis 3-1-0; Shelbi Meek
0-1-0; Natalie Vaughn 0-5-0; Totals 54-8-5.0. (Assists) - Carrie
McGinnis 47. (Dig leaders) - Natalie Vaughn 20; Georgia Garrison 15;
Shelbi Meek 12; Kaitlyn Ziegelmaier 11; Carrie McGinnis 9

Site: Florence, SC (Smith Univ. Center)
Date: Oct 15, 2016   Attend: 107   Time: 2:03   
Referees: Michael Holder, Ron Zientek, J.Allen & S.Cooper
Liberos: Vaughn (FMU), Norelli (FC)