FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University took the first two sets, but could not finish off conference-leading USC Aiken, falling in five sets 20-25, 21-25, 25-21, 25-19, and 15-9 in Peach Belt Conference volleyball action on Friday night (Oct. 19).

The Patriots (11-11, 3-5) continue their three-match homestand on Saturday at 2 p.m. as they welcome Lander University to Smith University Center. Saturday is Senior Day for FMU, and seniors Georgia Garrison and Carrie McGinnis will be honored prior to the match.

Freshman Alyssa Hansen paced the Francis Marion attack with a team-high 13 kills. Garrison chipped in 11, and added 11 digs for her eighth double-double of the season. Garrison now sits on 999 career kills.

McGinnis collected a double-double for the third consecutive match, handing out 25 assists, and picking up 10 digs. Freshman setter Finn Millians just missed out on her third straight double-double, dishing out 20 assists, while digging up nine balls.

Defensively, sophomore libero Natalie Ferrell collected a match-high 26 digs. The Patriots registered 13 blocks for the evening, led by Freshman Iyanla Thigpen, who had six blocks. Sophomores Kayla Arthur and Courtney Abdur-Rahim each chipped in five rejections.

USC Aiken (15-3, 5-1) was led by junior Christine Carroll, who posted a match-high 20 kills, and added five blocks. Freshman Anita Cookey-Gam registered 17 kills, and senior setter Ali Kirk dished out 36 assists.

Sophomore Alie Smith collected a double-double for the Pacers, with 14 kills and 16 digs. Junior libero Rebecca Martinez dug up a team-high 22 balls.

With the score tied 13-13 in the first set, the Patriots won four of the next five points to take a three-point lead. The hosts held on to the lead for the remainder of the opening set, and took the final three points to take a 1-0 advantage. Garrison and Hanson helped FMU grab the second set, recording five and four kills, respectively.

Tied at 16-16 in the third set, USC Aiken went on a 6-2 run to take a 22-18 advantage, then won the final three points to push the match to a fourth set. In the fourth, the score was deadlocked at 16-16 again, but the Pacers went on a 4-0 run to help them even the match at two sets apiece.

USCA continued the momentum into the deciding fifth set. The Pacers took eight of the first 10 points, and FMU never got closer than three.

Post-match comments from head coach Lauren Baufield

USC Aiken def. Francis Marion Univ. 20-25,21-25,25-21,25-19,15-9

USC Aiken (15-3, 5-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Christine Carroll 20-0-5;
Anita Cookey-Gam 17-0-4; Alie Smith 14-0-3; Kayla Duggan 4-2-1; Avery
Macklin 4-0-0; Alli Bell 2-0-0; Ali Kirk 2-0-3; Okwunne Ogbogu 1-0-5;
Brittani Vialdores 1-0-1; Rebecca Martinez 0-1-0; Vannah Strozier
0-1-0; Totals 65-4-13.0. (Assists) - Ali Kirk 36; Alli Bell 18. (Dig
leaders) - Rebecca Martinez 22; Kayla Duggan 18; Alie Smith 16; Vannah
Strozier 15; Alli Bell 9; Ali Kirk 8

Francis Marion Univ. (11-11, 3-5) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Alyssa Hansen
13-0-2; Georgia Garrison 11-0-3; Kayla Arthur 8-0-5; Courtney
Abdur-Rahim 8-1-5; Iyanla Thigpen 7-0-6; Madison Taylor 6-0-3; Finn
Millians 0-1-0; Carrie McGinnis 0-1-0; Natalie Ferrell 0-1-0; Totals
53-4-13.0. (Assists) - Carrie McGinnis 25; Finn Millians 20. (Dig
leaders) - Natalie Ferrell 26; Georgia Garrison 11; Carrie McGinnis
10; Finn Millians 9; Courtney Abdur-Rahim 9

Site: Florence, SC (Smith Univ. Center)
Date: Oct 19, 2018   Attend: 181   Time: 2:09   
Referees: Michael Holder, Morgan Shannon
Line judges: Jamaal Brown, Rich Behrends
Liberos: Ferrell (FMU), Martinez (USCA)