FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University had a trio of set points to set up a sweep of the opening two sets against conference-leading USC Aiken, but had to settle for a split and the Pacers claimed the two sets after intermission to earn a 28-26, 21-25, 25-16, 25-18 win over the Patriots, Tuesday evening (Sept. 26) in Peach Belt Conference women's volleyball action.

FMU drops to 4-8 overall and 1-3 in the Peach Belt, while USCA improves to 11-2 and 3-0 with its 11th consecutive win.

The Patriots will play a pair of non-conference road matches this weekend: at Lincoln Memorial University on Friday at 7 p.m. and at Carson-Newman University on Saturday at 3 p.m.  The next home match for FMU will be Tuesday at 7 p.m. against local-rival UNC Pembroke in what will be the Patriot program's 1500th all-time match.

FMU senior Shelbi Meek posted her third consecutive double-figure kill total with 12, while also recording 14 digs for her third double-double of 2017.  Freshman Kayla Arthur added 10 kills, while senior Erika Hartings and sophomore Lenee' Blot each registered nine kills.  Hartings also added 13 digs, while Blot had four blocks.

Freshman setter Tori Carpenter dished out a career-high 37 assists and dug up 11 balls in her most extensive playing time of the season.  Sophomore libero Natalie Vaughn led FMU with 24 digs and also served a pair of aces.

Senior Julia Forster led USCA with 17 kills and 10 digs, while senior setter Emily Teelon tallied 38 assists, 10 digs, and six kills.

The opening set featured 10 ties and three lead changes.  Francis Marion had three set points, the last at 26-25, but the Pacers rattled off the final three points to win 28-26.  The Patriots never trailed in set two with Arthur and fellow freshman Veronica Lane accounting for three kills each in the 25-21 Patriot win.

However after intermission, USCA snapped a 6-6 deadlock in the third set with a 6-0 spurt and went on to win 25-16.  In the fourth set, the Pacers broke a 7-7 tie with an 11-4 spurt and claimed a 25-18 victory.

Francis Marion has faced the Pacers more times than any other opponent in the program's 44-year history, with the Patriots now owning a 45-44 advantage.

USC Aiken def. Francis Marion Univ. 28-26,21-25,25-16,25-18

USC Aiken (11-2, 3-0 PBC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Julia Forster 17-0-2; Christine Carroll
10-0-3; Alicia Hines 8-0-3; Avery Macklin 8-0-2; Alie Smith 7-1-0; Emily Teelon 6-1-0;
Rebecca Martinez 0-2-0; Natalie Perrault 0-2-0; Totals 56-6-6.0. (Assists) - Emily Teelon
38. (Dig leaders) - Rebecca Martinez 21; Alie Smith 16; Christine Carroll 11; Julia
Forster 10; Emily Teelon 10; Natalie Perrault 9

Francis Marion Univ. (4-8, 1-3 PBC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Shelbi Meek 12-0-1; Kayla
Arthur 10-0-2; Lenee' Blot 9-1-4; Erika Hartings 9-0-2; Veronica Lane 4-0-3; Tori
Carpenter 3-0-1; Natalie Vaughn 0-2-0; Totals 47-3-8.0. (Assists) - Tori Carpenter 37.
(Dig leaders) - Natalie Vaughn 24; Shelbi Meek 14; Erika Hartings 13; Tori Carpenter
11; Courtney Abdur-Rahim 10

Site: Florence, SC (Smith Univ. Center)
Date: Sep 26, 2017   Attend: 384   Time: 2:06   
Referees: Tony Hill, Ron Zientek
Line judges: Chelsea Welty, Samantha Worblewski
Liberos: Vaughn (FMU), Martinez (USCA)