DUE WEST, SC – Despite a pair of double-doubles from senior hitter Alyssa Hansen and sophomore setter Kaylee Gillespie, Francis Marion University dropped its opening two matches of the season at the Erskine College Volleyball Tournament on Friday (Sept. 3).
 
The Patriots fell to Mars Hill University 25-23, 26-24, 25-12 and lost a tough 4-set decision to Shorter University 26-24, 23-25, 25-21, 25-21.
 
FMU will return to the court at Erskine on Saturday to battle former Peach Belt Conference foe Georgia College at 8 a.m. and the University of West Georgia at 2 p.m.
 
In the first match against the Lions, Hansen tallied 10 kills and 12 digs, while Gillespie handed out 31 assists and dug up 12 balls.  Freshman libero Zoie Larkins registered a team-high 15 digs and three service aces in her first collegiate match.  Fifth-year senior Kayla Arthur added nine kills, while hitting .368.
 
Grace Lilly led Mars Hill with 19 kills, a .421 hitting percentage, and 12 digs.
 
Against Shorter, Hansen accounted for 16 kills, 14 digs, and four blocks, while Gillespie dished out 40 assists and had 16 digs.
 
Arthur posted 11 kills, three aces, and three blocks, while Larkins dug up 13 balls and sophomore Lexi Albright contributed seven kills and a team-best 17 digs.
 
Francis Marion served for the opening set at 24-23 following a pair of service aces from Arthur, but the Hawks rattled off three straight points to capture the 26-24 victory.  The second set was knotted at 17-17 when FMU used a 7-4 spurt to go up 24-21 and that led to a Patriot win.
 
However, Shorter never trailed in the final two sets of the match.  Lacee Glover led the Hawks with 16 kills and 12 digs.
 
 
Mars Hill def. Francis Marion Univ. 25-23,26-24,26-15
 
Mars Hill (1-0,0-0 SAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Lilly, Grace 19-0-3;
Goddard, Sarah 14-0-0; Jakaitis, Kelly 9-0-0; Cuk, Jana 6-2-1;
Schmucker, Jordan 3-2-2; Stewart, Nikkayla 1-0-4; Martins, Ully 0-1-0;
Totals 52-5-5.0. (Assists) - Schmucker, Jordan 39. (Dig leaders) -
Martins, Ully 17; Schmucker, Jordan 17; Lilly, Grace 12
 
Francis Marion Univ. (0-1,0-0 Conference C) (Kills-aces-blocks) -
Alyssa Hansen 10-0-2; Kayla Arthur 9-0-2; Iyanla Thigpen 6-0-1; Gracie
Davis 4-0-0; Lexi Albright 4-3-0; Lily Walton 3-0-0; Madeline Winning
1-0-0; Keely McLain 0-1-0; Kaylee Gillespie 0-0-1; Zoie Larkins 0-3-0;
Totals 37-7-3.0. (Assists) - Kaylee Gillespie 31. (Dig leaders) - Zoie
Larkins 15; Alyssa Hansen 12; Kaylee Gillespie 12; Lexi Albright 9
 
Site: Due West, SC (Galloway Center)                     
Date: 09/03/21       Attend: 46   Time: 1:26   
 
Shorter def. Francis Marion Univ. 26-24,23-25,25-21,25-21
 
Shorter (2-0,0-0 Gulf South) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Glover, Lacee
16-1-0; Raschen, Casey 9-0-0; Richardson, Emma 9-0-2; Veldhuis, Annie
8-0-5; Terrell, Carrington 5-0-6; Smith, Jade 4-0-1; Crawford, Abigail
1-0-0; Patrick, Katherine 0-0-3; Smith, Annie 0-2-0; Swierbut, Reilly
0-3-0; Totals 52-6-10.0. (Assists) - Smith, Annie 23; Cycholl, Taryn
15. (Dig leaders) - Sprosty, Madison 29; Smith, Annie 16; Glover,
Lacee 12
 
Francis Marion Univ. (0-2,0-0 Conference C) (Kills-aces-blocks) -
Alyssa Hansen 16-0-4; Kayla Arthur 11-3-3; Lexi Albright 7-0-0; Iyanla
Thigpen 6-0-3; Lily Walton 5-0-3; Gracie Davis 3-0-1; Kaylee Gillespie
2-1-0; Keely McLain 0-1-0; Zoie Larkins 0-1-0; Naina Ivanova 0-1-0;
Totals 50-7-8.0. (Assists) - Kaylee Gillespie 40. (Dig leaders) - Lexi
Albright 17; Kaylee Gillespie 16; Alyssa Hansen 14; Naina Ivanova 14;
Zoie Larkins 13
 
Site: Due West, SC (Galloway Center)                    
Date: 09/03/21       Attend: 41   Time: 1:59