FLORENCE, SC – First-year outside hitter Katie Kemp and Lexi Albright combined for 25 kills as Francis Marion University swept past Young Harris College 25-20, 25-23, 26-24, Saturday afternoon (Sept. 10) on the final day of the FMU Invitational Volleyball Tournament.
 
The Patriots improve to 5-4 and will open Conference Carolinas play at home on Wednesday at 7 p.m. against local-rival UNC Pembroke.  This will be the first installment of the Battle of I-95 for the 2022-23 school year.
 
Kemp registered a match-high 13 kills with a .357 hitting percentage, while Albright totaled 12 kills, three service aces, two blocks, and nine digs.  Lily Walton came off the FMU bench and added six kills.
 
Patriot setter Kaylee Gillespie handed out 30 assists and served three aces, while libero Katie Floyd dug up a team-high 13 balls.  Middle blocker Beyoncé Andrews led the FMU defense with five blocks.
 
Sophomore outside hitter Lily Hidalgo led the Mountain Lions (3-8) with eight kills, while setter Mollie Lawrence dished out 17 assists.
 
The opening set featured five ties, the last of which came at 14-14.  With Gillespie serving, FMU ran off six consecutive points to take the lead for good.  The second set was deadlocked on eight occasions.  A kill by Albright provided the clinching point at 25-23.
 
FMU never trailed in the third set and powered its way to a commanding 22-11 advantage before Young Harris rallied to knot the score at 23-23 and 24-24.  After the final tie, a serving error by the Mountain Lions and a kill by Albright ended the match with Francis Marion victorious.

 
 
Francis Marion Univ. def. Young Harris 25-20,25-23,26-24
 
Young Harris (3-8,0-0 Peach Belt) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Hidalgo, Lily
8-0-1; Mullins, Shelby 6-0-3; Bearden, Sophie 4-0-6; Pierre, Alex
4-1-6; Klucharich, Nicole 3-0-0; Lawrence, Mollie 2-1-0; Thomas, Jamie
1-0-1; Vaigneur, Chase 1-0-0; Bernis, Joha 0-4-0; Totals 29-6-11.0.
(Assists) - Lawrence, Mollie 17. (Dig leaders) - Bernis, Joha 13;
Hidalgo, Lily 5
 
Francis Marion Univ. (5-4,0-0 Conference C) (Kills-aces-blocks) -
Katie Kemp 13-0-1; Lexi Albright 12-3-2; Lily Walton 6-0-2; Caroline
Lucas 3-4-0; Beyonce Andrews 3-0-5; Kalee Peter 2-2-0; Kaylee
Gillespie 0-3-0; Zoie Larkins 0-1-0; Totals 39-13-5.0. (Assists) -
Kaylee Gillespie 30. (Dig leaders) - Katie Floyd 13; Lexi Albright 9
 
Site: Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
Date: 09/10/22       Attend: 97   Time: 1:24