FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University registered a team hitting percentage of .312 and two young Patriots posted career-high kill totals as FMU claimed a three-set victory (25-18, 25-12, 25-20) over visiting Young Harris College, Thursday evening (March 25) in Peach Belt Conference volleyball action.
 
The Patriots, now 3-4 overall and in the PBC, will return to action ion Tuesday with a 6 p.m. road match at USC Aiken.
 
Senior Kayla Arthur led Francis Marion with eight kills, a .350 hitting percentage and two service aces, while freshman Katie Yatooma recorded a career-high seven kills and sophomore middleblocker Madeline Winning a career-high six kills.
 
FMU freshman setter Kaylee Gillespie dished out 31 assists, served three aces, and dug up six balls, while junior libero Alexis Watts recorded 22 digs.
 
Freshman Jessica Beckner led Young Harris (0-6, 0-6) with seven kills, while freshman Alex Boydstone tallied 22 assists and nine digs.
 
The first-year Young Harris program is led by 2002 Francis Marion graduate and former Patriot volleyball player Jenny Michael.
 
FMU scored the first three points of the opening set and never trailed en route to the 25-18 win.  The Mountain Lions did close to within 16-15, but the Patriots responded with a 9-3 run.
 
Francis Marion snapped an 8-8 deadlock in set two with 13 consecutive points behind the serving and setting of Gillespie (one ace and six assists).
 
The final set featured three ties and 10 lead changes.  FMU took the lead for good at 18-17 on a kill by Yatooma off a Gillespie set.  Back-to-back kills by Yatooma and one from sophomore Gracie Davis allowed the Patriots to expand a one-point advantage to 22-18.
 
 
 
Francis Marion Univ. def. Young Harris 25-18,25-12,25-20
 
Young Harris (0-6,0-6 Peach Belt) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Beckner,
Jessica 7-1-0; Cunningham, Amber 6-1-0; Messler, Annie 5-2-0; Hart,
Hailey 4-1-0; Boydstone, Alex 2-0-0; McKinney, Kallee 1-0-0; Ahern,
Marie 1-0-1; Still, Kori 0-0-1; Totals 26-5-1.0. (Assists) -
Boydstone, Alex 22. (Dig leaders) - Boydstone, Alex 9; DeBerry, Emily
9; Hart, Hailey 8
 
Francis Marion Univ. (3-4,3-4 Peach Belt) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Kayla
Arthur 8-2-1; Kathryn Yatooma 7-0-0; Madeline Winning 6-0-0; Lily
Walton 5-1-2; Gracie Davis 4-0-2; Iyanla Thigpen 3-0-1; Kaylee
Gillespie 2-3-0; Lexi Albright 2-0-0; Alyssa Hansen 2-0-0; Brittany
Sehnke 1-0-0; Courtney Abdur-Rahim 0-1-0; Alexis Watts 0-1-0; Totals
40-8-3.0. (Assists) - Kaylee Gillespie 31. (Dig leaders) - Alexis
Watts 22; Kaylee Gillespie 6
 
Site: Florence, SC (Smith University Cen)
Date: 03/25/21       Attend: 71   Time: 1:23
Referees: Luis Martinez (R1), Moses Brown (R2), Dan Jampole (L), Renee Todd (L)