FLORENCE, SC – A trio of Francis Marion University players registered double-figure kills, but the Patriots dropped a hard-fought five-set match (19-25, 25-13, 23-25, 25-16, 15-6) to visiting Emmanuel College (Ga.), Saturday afternoon in Conference Carolinas volleyball play.
 
Francis Marion (6-6, 1-2) will play its first conference road match on Tuesday at Barton College with a 6 p.m. first serve.  The next home action for the Patriots will be Friday when they entertain the University of Mount Olive at 6 p.m.
 
Outside hitter Katie Kemp led FMU with 14 kills, one shy of her career high, while De'Asia Hill netted her fourth double-digit effort of the season with 12 kills, and middle blocker Kalee Peter added 10 kills.
 
Patriot setter Kaylee Gillespie dished out 48 assists, and in the process moved past former FMU setter Kailey Smith (2012, 2013) and into seventh place on the program's career assists list with 1,779.  Gillespie also dug up 11 balls on Saturday.
 
Libero Katie Floyd led Francis Marion with a career-high 25 digs, her second 20-dig effort of her young career.
 
Emily Hanson paced the Lions (6-6, 2-0) with 21 kills, while setter Gabrielle McGlamery handed out 48 assists and had 11 digs.
 
FMU scored the first seven points of the match and never trailed en route to the opening set win.  Emmanuel returned the favor by never trailing in set No.2.  The third set featured a pair of lead changes and five ties – the last of which came at 23-23.  However, a service error by the Lions and a clinching kill by Hill gave the Patriots a 2-to-1 sets advantage.
 
Emmanuel never trailed in winning the final two sets.  A 6-0 spurt by the Lions midway through the fifth set provided the difference.


 
Emmanuel (GA) def. Francis Marion Univ. 19-25,25-13,23-25,25-16,15-6
 
Emmanuel (GA) (6-6,2-0 Conference C) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Hanson,
Emily 21-0-2; Emminger, Alaina 15-0-5; Roberts, Taylor 13-0-5; Martin,
Jocelyn 10-0-2; Reagan, Gabi 3-0-7; McGlamery, Gabrielle 1-0-2;
Henderson, Kaitlyn 1-3-0; Marshall, Amore 0-1-0; Bland, Layla 0-1-0;
Queen, Asia 0-1-0; Totals 64-6-12.0. (Assists) - McGlamery, Gabrielle
48. (Dig leaders) - Queen, Asia 28; Bland, Layla 18; Henderson,
Kaitlyn 16; McGlamery, Gabrielle 11; Marshall, Amore 9
 
Francis Marion Univ. (6-6,1-2 Conference C) (Kills-aces-blocks) -
Katie Kemp 14-0-1; De'Asia Hill 12-0-4; Kalee Peter 10-0-1; Caroline
Lucas 9-0-3; Lexi Albright 8-2-0; Kaylee Gillespie 3-0-1; Gracie Davis
1-0-0; Kayla Clayworth 1-0-0; Totals 58-2-5.0. (Assists) - Kaylee
Gillespie 48. (Dig leaders) - Katie Floyd 25; Lexi Albright 18; Zoie
Larkins 16; Kaylee Gillespie 11; Kayla Clayworth 10
 
Site: Florence, SC (Smith University Cen)
Date: 09/17/22       Attend: 174   Time: 2:29