MILLEDGEVILLE, GA – Top-seeded Flagler College used a 5-0 run early in the fourth and final set to gain control and defeat upset-minded Francis Marion University 25-21, 26-24, 18-25, 25-13, Saturday afternoon (Nov. 19) in the semifinals of the Peach Belt Conference Women's Volleyball Tournament.

Fourth-seeded Francis Marion falls to 16-13 and must now await Monday night's selection show to see if the Patriots receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II National Tournament.  FMU was eighth in the latest regional rankings with eight slots being available (including three automatic bids).

Junior Erika Hartings paced the Patriots with 12 kills, while senior Caroline Boone tallied 11 to push her career total to 991.  Sophomore Georgia Garrison added nine kills and 15 digs, while both senior Carlie Smith and freshman Lenee' Blot chipped in eight kills.

Sophomore setter Carrie McGinnis registered 38 assists and nine digs, while freshmen libero Natalie Vaughn dug up a team-high 16 balls and junior Shelbi Meek added 12 digs.

Sara Davis led Flagler (22-6) with 13 kills and four blocks, while All-Conference setter Tara Savisky compiled 41 assists and 10 digs.

FMU dropped the opening two sets that were tightly contested and featured a combined 18 ties and seven lead changes.  In the marathon second set, the score was knotted at 19, 20, 21, 22, and 24.  The latter deadlock came after a kill by Garrison.  However, a ball-handling error and an attack error by the Patriots allowed Flagler to escape with the 26-24 victory.

In the third set, Francis Marion trailed 8-4, but rallied with a 9-2 spurt to claim a 13-10 advantage.  The Saints scored the next three points to tie the set at 13-13, but FMU took the lead for good on a service error by Flagler followed by an ace from Meek.  Leading 19-17, the Patriots finished the set on a 6-1 run to force a fourth set.

Flagler scored the first three points of the fourth set and never trailed.  FMU did pull to within 7-4, but the Saints gained control with a 5-0 run.

If the Patriots do not receive an NCAA invitation, the match was the final for FMU head coach Paul MacDonald.  The winningest coach in program history with 180 victories in 11 seasons, MacDonald announced earlier in the season he was stepping down to accept another position on the FMU campus.  It would also bring to an end the careers of a pair of four-year letterwinners: Boone and Smith.