FLORENCE, SC – Katie Kemp posted her second career double-double with career-high totals of 16 kills and 13 digs, while libero Zoie Larkins anchored the Francis Marion University defense as the Patriots swept a Conference Carolinas volleyball match from visiting Chowan University 26-24, 25-17, 25-18, Saturday afternoon (Sept. 24).
 
FMU improves to 8-7 overall and again evens its conference mark at 3-3.  The Patriots will host Southern Wesleyan University next Saturday (Oct. 1) at 2 p.m. in the Smith University Center.
 
Kemp also registered a .293 hitting percentage and served a team-high three aces.
 
Larkins posted 25 digs, the highest 3-set total in conference play this season.  She surpassed 700 digs in only her 47th career match.
 
FMU setter Kaylee Gillespie dished out 34 assists and dug up eight balls, while first-year players Caroline Lucas and Kayla Clayworth added eight and seven kills respectively.
 
Ellie Middleton led Chowan (4-10, 1-4) with seven kills, while libero Diana Rodriguez dug up 21 balls.
 
In the tightly contested first set, FMU came out victorious when Clayworth pounded out a kill and Larkins served an ace to account for points 25 and 26 respectively.
 
The Patriot tallied the opening three points of the second set and never trailed en route to the 25-17 victory.  The third set featured nine ties and four lead changes.  Francis Marion trailed 13-9, but used a 6-2 spurt to knot the score at 15-15.  With the score later deadlocked at 17-17, the Patriots rattled off eight of the match's final nine points, including the final two points from kills by Kemp.

 
 
Francis Marion Univ. def. Chowan 26-24,25-17,25-18
 
Chowan (4-10,1-4 Conference) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Middleton, Ellie
7-0-1; Hall, Madison 4-0-0; Baskin, Nia 4-0-3; Priest, Kolleen 4-0-0;
Ahlers, Haydon 3-0-1; Woolson, Alexa 1-1-0; Ginaitt, Sydney 1-0-0;
Putnam, Chloe 0-4-0; Prince, Hadley 0-2-0; Rodriguez, Diana 0-2-0;
Totals 24-9-3.0. (Assists) - . (Dig leaders) - Rodriguez, Diana 21;
Middleton, Ellie 11
 
Francis Marion Univ. (8-7,3-3 Conference C) (Kills-aces-blocks) -
Katie Kemp 16-3-0; Caroline Lucas 8-0-2; Kayla Clayworth 7-0-0; Kalee
Peter 5-1-3; De'Asia Hill 5-0-4; Lexi Albright 3-0-0; Kaylee Gillespie
0-0-1; Zoie Larkins 0-1-0; Totals 44-5-5.0. (Assists) - Kaylee
Gillespie 34. (Dig leaders) - Zoie Larkins 25; Katie Kemp 13; Katie
Floyd 11; Kaylee Gillespie 8
 
Site: Florence, SC (Smith University Cen)
Date: 09/24/22       Attend: 98   Time: 1:23