YOUNG HARRIS, GA – Despite freshman Madilyn Gartner, sophomore Caroline Lucas, and junior Kara Walker combining for 39 kills, Francis Marion University dropped a 25-23, 20-25, 25-23, 25-22 decision to Young Harris College, Saturday afternoon (Oct. 14) in Conference Carolinas volleyball action.
 
Francis Marion (10-12, 6-3) will return home to entertain the University of Mount Olive on Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. in the Pearl Moore Basketball Center.
 
Gartner led FMU with 14 kills and a .314 hitting percentage, while also serving a team-high three aces.  Lucas tallied 13 kills and a .385 hitting percentage, while Walker chipped in 12 kills and 13 digs.
 
Patriot senior setter Kaylee Gillespie recorded 41 assists and 19 digs for her 16th double-double of the year, and third in the last three matches.  The Pickens native served one ace to move into sole possession of 12th place on the FMU career list with 124.  She is 11 behind for Patriot Jen Michael – the current Young Harris head coach – for 11th position on the list.
 
Sophomore libero Katie Floyd added 12 digs for FMU.
 
Lily Hidalgo paced the Mountain Lions (8-12, 5-6) with 19 kills and 12 digs.
 
The first set was tied at 20-20, but eventually a Patriot serving error accounted for the final point in a 25-23 Young Harris victory.  Francis Marion rallied to even the match by taking the second set 25-20.  A serving ace by Gartner snapped a 7-7 deadlock and the Patriots would not trail again.  Walker recorded five of her kills in that set.
 
The Mountain Lions did not trail in the third set, although FMU rallied to tie the score at 20-20.  A kill by Hidalgo was the finishing point.  The fourth set featured 13 ties and six lead changes.  With the score knotted at 22-22, a pair of kills by Hidalgo and an FMU attacking error ended the match.
 
 
Young Harris def. Francis Marion Univ. 25-23,20-25,25-23,25-22
 
Francis Marion Univ. (10-12,6-3 Conference) (Kills-aces-blocks) -
Madilyn Gartner 14-3-0; Caroline Lucas 13-2-2; Kara Walker 12-0-1;
Kaytlin Smart 6-0-1; Camryn Faggart 4-0-0; Kaylee Gillespie 2-1-2;
Katie Floyd 1-2-0; Totals 52-8-4.0. (Assists) - Kaylee Gillespie 41.
(Dig leaders) - Kaylee Gillespie 19; Kara Walker 13; Katie Floyd 12
 
Young Harris (8-12,5-6 Conference) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Hidalgo, Lily
19-2-2; Vaigneur, Chase 14-3-1; Kelly, Faith 12-0-0; Bearden, Sophie
9-1-1; Berry, Alexa 5-0-3; Klucharich, Nicole 2-0-1; Thigpen, Lyza
2-0-0; Bernis, Joha 0-2-0; Totals 63-8-5.0. (Assists) - Thigpen, Lyza
46. (Dig leaders) - Bernis, Joha 18; Thigpen, Lyza 14; Hidalgo, Lily
12; Vaigneur, Chase 11
 
Site: Young Harris, GA (The Harp Recreation)
Date: 10/14/23       Attend: 75   Time: 1:59