CENTRAL, SC – A trio of players recorded nine kills apiece to lead Francis Marion University to a three-set sweep (26-24, 25-20, 25-17) of North Greenville University, but the Patriots then went on to drop a three-set affair (25-21, 25-21, 25-17) to Southern Wesleyan University, Saturday afternoon (Oct. 14) in a non-conference volleyball tri-match.

The Patriots move to 7-11 on the season and will next play at home on Friday against Lander University at 7 p.m.

In the sweep of North Greenville, senior Shelbi Meek, junior Georgia Garrison, and freshman Kayla Arthur all registered nine kills.  Meek and Garrison also posted double-doubles as they dug up 15 and 12 ball respectively.  Sophomore Lenee' Blot pounded out eight kills and freshman Veronica Lane added five kills and five blocks.

Junior setter Carrie McGinnis (21) and freshman setter Tori Carpenter (18) combined for 39 assists, while sophomore libero Natalie Vaughn compiled 13 digs.

FMU took advantage of three Crusader attack errors and a kill from Garrison to rally from a 24-22 deficit in set one.  The Patriots broke an 18-18 deadlock in set two with four straight points, and in the final set, Francis Marion earned the opening two points and never trailed.

The Patriots hit .314 as a team against North Greenville.

In the loss to the host Warriors, Lane tallied eight kills to pace the Patriots, while Courtney Bowen added five kills and four blocks.  Carpenter handed out 15 assists, while McGinnis dished out eight, and Vaughn dug up a team-high 16 balls.

Francis Marion Univ. def. North Greenville U. 26-24,25-20,25-17

Francis Marion Univ. (7-11) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Kayla Arthur 9-0-1;
Shelbi Meek 9-0-2; Georgia Garrison 9-1-0; Lenee' Blot 8-1-2; Veronica
Lane 5-0-5; Courtney Abdur-Rahim 4-0-1; Carrie McGinnis 1-0-0; Tori
Carpenter 0-1-0; Totals 45-3-8.0. (Assists) - Carrie McGinnis 21; Tori
Carpenter 18. (Dig leaders) - Shelbi Meek 15; Natalie Vaughn 13;
Georgia Garrison 12

North Greenville U. (14-8) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Katie McManaway
9-2-0; Courtney Williamson 6-0-0; Brittany Tepedino 5-0-1; Samantha
Hebb 4-1-0; Annie Beisecker 4-0-0; Taylor Waters 1-0-0; Josey Dorn
1-0-0; Sara Miller 1-0-0; Totals 31-3-1.0. (Assists) - Sara Miller 22.
(Dig leaders) - Kenzie Pierce 15; Samantha Hebb 5

Site: Central, SC (Tysinger Gymnasium)
Date: Oct 14, 2017   Attend: 68   Time: 1.50 hrs
Referees: Kim Christman, Dianne Penner
Line judges: Brenda Skeffington, Bryanna Zwick

Southern Wesleyan U. def. Francis Marion Univ. 25-21,25-21,25-17

Francis Marion Univ. (7-12) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Veronica Lane 8-0-0;
Georgia Garrison 5-2-0; Lenee' Blot 5-0-2; Cortney Bowen 5-0-4; Kayla
Arthur 2-0-0; Shelbi Meek 2-1-0; Courtney Abdur-Rahim 1-0-2; Tori
Carpenter 1-1-0; Carrie McGinnis 0-1-0; Totals 29-5-7.0. (Assists) -
Tori Carpenter 15. (Dig leaders) - Natalie Vaughn 16; Tori Carpenter 6

Southern Wesleyan U. (13-8) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Paige O'Connor
18-1-1; Olivia Johnson 9-0-0; Shelby Sheets 5-0-0; Courtney Price
4-0-0; Liz Kuntz 3-0-3; Holly Richardson 1-0-0; Annika Jones 0-1-0;
Katie Anderson 0-1-0; Totals 40-3-4.0. (Assists) - Annika Jones 35.
(Dig leaders) - Katie Anderson 20; Annika Jones 10; Anna Martin 9

Site: Central, SC (Tysinger Gymnasium)
Date: Oct 14, 2017   Attend: 157   Time: 1:10 hrs
Referees: Dianne Penner, Kim Christman
Line judges: Brenda Skeffington, Bryanna Zwick