YOUNG HARRIS, GA – Junior middlebocker Lily Walton pounded out 12 kills and tallied three blocks to lead Francis Marion University to a 3-set sweep (25-20, 25-20, 25-23) of Young Harris College, Friday evening (April 16) in Peach Belt Conference volleyball play.
 
Francis Marion improves to 4-9 both overall and in conference action.  The Patriots will conclude their covid-delayed season on Saturday with a 3 p.m. match at Lander University.
 
Walton registered her kill total with a .391 hitting percentage. Junior Alyssa Hansen record her second consecutive double-double with 11 kills and 13 digs, while both senior Kayla Arthur and sophomore Brittany Sehnke added six kills.
 
FMU setter Kaylee Gillespie posted her third straight double-double and fifth of her freshman campaign with 30 assists and 11 digs.  Junior libero Alexis Watts dug up 14 balls and freshman Keely McLain had a career-high 12 digs.
 
Hailey Hart led the Mountain Lions with 11 kills and Alex Boydstone handed out 24 assists.
 
The Patriots took the lead for good in the opening set by snapping a 9-9 tie.  Arthur closed out the set with a kill.  In identical fashion, Francis Marion took the lead for good in set No.2 by breaking a 9-9 deadlock.  Sehnke recorded the clinching kill off a set from Gillespie.
 
FMU raced to an 11-3 advantage in the third set, and later led 15-9.  Young Harris rallied to take an 18-16 lead and later maintained a 22-20 margin.  The Patriots then ended the match by scoring the final four points: a Walton kill, a Gillespie service ace, another Walton kill, and a Mountain Lion attacking error.
 
 
Francis Marion Univ. def. Young Harris 25-20,25-20,25-23
 
Francis Marion Univ. (4-9,4-9 Peach Belt) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Lily
Walton 12-0-3; Alyssa Hansen 11-0-0; Kayla Arthur 6-0-2; Brittany
Sehnke 6-1-2; Kathryn Yatooma 1-0-1; Keely McLain 0-1-0; Kaylee
Gillespie 0-1-1; Alexis Watts 0-1-0; Totals 36-4-5.0. (Assists) -
Kaylee Gillespie 30. (Dig leaders) - Alexis Watts 14; Alyssa Hansen
13; Keely McLain 12; Kaylee Gillespie 11
 
Young Harris (0-13,0-13 Peach Belt) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Hart, Hailey
11-3-0; Beckner, Jessica 10-0-1; Cunningham, Amber 5-2-1; Messler,
Annie 4-1-4; Ahern, Marie 0-0-3; Boydstone, Alex 0-1-0; Totals
30-7-5.0. (Assists) - Boydstone, Alex 24. (Dig leaders) - DeBerry,
Emily 16; Cunningham, Amber 8
 
Site: Young Harris, GA (YHC Basketball Arena)
Date: 04/16/21       Attend: 36   Time: 1:26