AUGUSTA, GA – The Francis Marion University volleyball team fell in three sets to the Augusta University Jaguars on Friday (Oct. 6) evening by scores of 25-12, 30-28, and 25-22.
 
FMU (9-9) will return to Conference Carolinas play on Saturday (Oct. 7) against Erskine College at 2 p.m. in Due West, S.C.
 
Leading Francis Marion in kills was sophomore middle blocker Caroline Lucas who posted nine kills. Also proving to be a defensive threat, Lucas collected three blocks.
Lucas was closely followed by fellow junior middle blocker Mo Grigsby who registered eight kills and two blocks.
 
Senior setter Kaylee Gillespie had an impressive total of 29 assists and 10 digs, and in the process move to with one assist of becoming only the third Patriots to reach 3,000 career assists.
 
Sophomore libero Katie Floyd led FMU with 22 digs.
 
The Patriots started off set one strong, with junior Kaitlyn Smart putting away a first ball kill to take FMU up by one. Both teams fought point for point and tied the game at 7-7 after an Augusta attack error. Fresh out of a time-out, Augusta took the lead up by three points. Despite the Patriots bringing the game back within two points, the Jaguars went on a seven-point run, extending their lead to 18-8. Set one closed out at a final score of 25-12. 
 
Set two began in similar fashion to the first; both teams going point for point. A four-point run early on put the Patriots up by five. Hitters Kara Walker and Madilyn Gartner gained FMU four kills early on to gain some momentum and get the Patriots on a roll. Francis Marion continued fighting for each point and had the Jaguars down by seven points. Although a hefty lead early on and strong defensive efforts from Floyd, Augusta overtook FMU once again and closed out set two by a score of 30-28.
 
The Patriots kept Augusta in their sights for set three, always staying within three points.  After a hard fought set and both teams never making it easy, the Jaguars finished the match by a final score of 25-22.
 
 
Augusta Univ. def. Francis Marion Univ. 25-12,30-28,25-22
 
Francis Marion Univ. (9-9) (Kills-aces-blocks) -
Caroline Lucas 9-0-3; Mo Grigsby 8-0-2; Kara Walker 7-0-0; Madilyn
Gartner 5-1-0; Kaytlin Smart 4-0-1; Kaylee Gillespie 1-1-2; Ella
Quiring 0-1-0; Totals 34-3-5.0. (Assists) - Kaylee Gillespie 29. (Dig
leaders) - Katie Floyd 22; Madilyn Gartner 11; Kara Walker 11; Kaylee
Gillespie 10; Ella Quiring 8
 
Augusta (14-3) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Wheeler, Jazmyn
18-7-0; Kruczko, Sophia 10-0-3; Suguturaga, Jada 6-0-5; Cleaver, Kayli
5-0-0; Eden, Madelyn 5-0-0; Kline, Mikayla 4-0-0; Buggs, Janvier
2-2-2; Davis, Savannah 1-0-1; Harris, Rylie 0-1-0; Luna, Dariana
0-1-0; Totals 51-11-6.0. (Assists) - Buggs, Janvier 40. (Dig leaders)
- Luna, Dariana 20; Thees, Ally 13; Wheeler, Jazmyn 13; Harris, Rylie
10
 
Site: Augusta, GA (George A. Christenberry Fieldhouse)
Date: 10/06/23       Attend: 154   Time: 1:31