AUGUSTA, GA – A 9-0 run in the fifth set provided decisive for Augusta University as the Jaguars took a 19-25, 25-20, 25-17, 16-25, 15-4 win over Francis Marion University, Friday night (Sept. 30) in Peach Belt Conference women's volleyball action.

FMU has its three-match conference win streak snapped as the Patriots drop to 9-6 overall and 3-3 in the Peach Belt.  Augusta improves 8-3 and 4-1. 

The Patriots will conclude their weekend trip to the Peach State with a 2 p.m. match at Georgia College on Saturday.  The next home match for FMU will be Wednesday at 7 p.m. against USC Aiken.

Francis Marion had rallied to knot the match at two-sets apiece with a 25-16 win in set four.  However, Augusta expanded a narrow 3-2 lead in the fifth set to 12-2 with nine straight points.

Senior middleblocker Caroline Boone led FMU with 13 kills, while sophomore Georgia Garrison added 13 and senior Carlie Smith 11.  Sophomore setter Carrie McGinnis dished out 43 assists, while junior libero Shelbi Meek dug up 24 balls.  Freshman Natalie Vaughn recorded 19 digs, served three aces, and was flawless in 15 serve receptions, while freshman Kaitlyn Ziegelmaier had 15 digs.

Jessica Hedrick and Jordan Bickett each registered 13 kills and four blocks to pace the Jaguars.  Setters Payton Murchie (27) and Sammie Baker (25) combined for 52 assists, while Cat DeSilvester tallied a match-high 27 digs.

Francis Marion hit .480 in the opening-set win and .424 in the fourth set, but was unable to crack .120 in the other three sets.

The match featured a series of key runs.  In the opening set, Francis Marion used a 7-0 spurt behind the serving of Vaughn to erase an 8-4 Augusta lead and put the Patriots on top 11-8.  In set two, the Jaguars scored six consecutive points to rally from a two-point deficit to take a four-point lead.

In the third set, Augusta scored the opening four points and never trailed.  The Patriots held a 16-15 advantage in set four, but closed the set with a 9-1 run – again mainly with Vaughn serving.