FLORENCE, SC - Junior outside hitter Gracie Davis pounded out 15 kills with a .400 hitting percentage to lead Francis Marion University to a three-game sweep (25-15, 25-22, 25-11) of visiting Converse University, Friday evening (Oct. 8) in Conference Carolinas volleyball action.
 
FMU remains the only unbeaten squad in conference play with an East Division-leading 7-0 mark.  The Patriots improve to 11-8 overall with their seventh consecutive win, the longest streak since the 2013 team won 10-in-a-row.
 
Francis Marion will host its annual Dig Pink match on Saturday morning when FMU entertains Belmont Abbey College at 11 a.m.  Admission is free and fans are encouraged to wear pink.  All spectators are required to wear a mask.
 
Davis, a native of Myrtle Beach, registered her kill total on only 30 swings and added three blocks and three digs.  Graduate student Kayla Arthur registered nine kills and in the process surpassed the 900-kill mark for her career.
 
Sophomore setter Kaylee Gillespie handed out 35 assists on only 87 sets and dug up 11 balls for her team-leading 10th double-double of the season.  Sophomore Lexi Albright led FMU with 16 digs and was perfect on 14 serve receptions, while freshman libero Zoie Larkins tallied 10 digs.
 
The Patriots held Converse (3-12, 3-3) to a team hitting percentage of only .101.  Junior 6-2 middle hitter Jasmine Finkley led the Valkyries with eight kills.
 
FMU never trailed in either of the first or third sets.  In the middle set, the Patriots trailed 17-11 and later 19-15, but used an 8-0 run with Arthur serving to take the lead en route to the 25-22 victory.
 

 
Francis Marion Univ. def. Converse 25-15,25-22,25-11
 
Converse (3-12,3-3 Conference) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Finkley, Jasmine
8-0-1; Hodge, Ansley 6-0-0; Mount, Maddie 5-0-0; Rabon, Anna 5-1-0;
Cannon, Kiara 2-0-3; Coffey, Elizabeth 1-0-4; Ducote, Savannah 1-0-0;
Gregory, Madison 1-1-0; Totals 29-2-4.0. (Assists) - Gregory, Madison
13. (Dig leaders) - Yohe, Elizabeth 16; Rabon, Anna 7
 
Francis Marion Univ. (11-8,7-0 Conference) (Kills-aces-blocks) -
Gracie Davis 15-0-3; Kayla Arthur 9-2-1; Lexi Albright 6-2-1; Lily
Walton 5-0-3; Madeline Winning 3-0-2; Kaylee Gillespie 3-1-0; Keely
Mclain 0-2-0; Zoie Larkins 0-1-0; Totals 41-8-6.0. (Assists) - Kaylee
Gillespie 35. (Dig leaders) - Lexi Albright 16; Kaylee Gillespie 11;
Zoie Larkins 10; Keely Mclain 8
 
Site: Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
Date: 10/08/21       Attend: 121   Time: 1:16