FLORENCE. SC – Sophomore middle blocker Caroline Lucas pounded out 23 kills with a sizzling .629 hitting percentage to help fifth-seeded Francis Marion University rally for a five-win victory (25-12,18-25,23-25,26-24,15-12) over 11th-seeded Barton College, Sunday afternoon (Nov. 12) in the second round of the 2023 Conference Carolinas Women's Volleyball Tournament.
 
Francis Marion improves to 16-15 and advances to face fourth-seeded UNC Pembroke in the quarterfinals on Friday at 5 p.m. in the North Charleston Athletic Center.
 
Barton ends its season 10-18.  The Bulldogs upset eighth-seeded Young Harris College in five sets earlier on Sunday to earn the right to play the Patriots. 
 
The win was the third five-set win for FMU over Barton in the past 19 days.
 
Lucas registered her kill total on only 35 swings with just one error.  Her kill total was one shy of her career high.  She also recorded five blocks.
 
FMU junior middle blocker Mo Grigsby added 13 kills and five blocks, while junior Kara Walker posted a true double-double with 11 kills and 11 digs.  Freshman outside hitter Madilyn Gartner chipped in six kills and 20 digs.
 
Senior setter Kaylee Gillespie handed out 49 assists – surpassing the 3,500-assist plateau for her career – and dug up a team-high 21 balls.  Sophomore libero Katie Floyd recorded 17 digs.
 
Senior outside hitter Allison Gambill led Barton with 25 kills and 19 digs.
 
Despite the match going five set and being tightly contested, there were only five lead changes.
 
Barton registered the initial point of the match, but FMU rattled off four straight for a 4-1 lead.  The margin went from 10-6 to 17-6 with Floyd serving and the Patriots would grab a 25-12 win.
 
The Bulldogs won the next two sets, although Francis Marion had early leads in both games.
 
FMU scored the first two points of the fourth set and led until the Bulldogs scored four consecutive points to take a 19-16 advantage.  FMU quickly tied the match at 20-20 and would not trail again.  Barton fought off two set points to again deadlock the score at 24-24, but kills from Grigsby and Lucas provided the clinching points to force a fifth set.
 
The Patriots tallied the first three points of set No.5 and led 8-3 at the change-over.  Barton rallied from six down to within 14-12, but junior Kaytlin Smart delivered the winning kill off a Gillespie set to send FMU advancing.  Francis Marion hit .417 as a team in the final set.

 
 
Francis Marion Univ. def. Barton 25-12,18-25,23-25,26-24,15-12
 
Barton (10-18) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Gambill, Allison
25-0-1; Sleight, Henly 19-1-1; Pitt, Lauryn 7-0-2; Haaga, Lily 7-0-1;
Schrubb, Aubree 6-0-3; Lawrence, Kate 3-0-3; Meyer, Lilly 1-3-0;
Strey, Hailey 1-0-0; Noble, Mackenzie 0-2-0; Greene, Madison 0-1-0;
Totals 69-7-6.0. (Assists) - Greene, Madison 30; Strey, Hailey 28.
(Dig leaders) - Meyer, Lilly 23; Gambill, Allison 19; Sleight, Henly
14; Greene, Madison 10
 
Francis Marion Univ. (16-15) (Kills-aces-blocks) -
Caroline Lucas 23-1-5; Mo Grigsby 13-0-5; Kara Walker 11-1-2; Kaytlin
Smart 8-0-4; Madilyn Gartner 6-1-3; Kaylee Gillespie 4-0-1; Katie
Floyd 0-1-0; Totals 65-4-11.0. (Assists) - Kaylee Gillespie 49. (Dig
leaders) - Kaylee Gillespie 21; Madilyn Gartner 20; Katie Floyd 17;
Kara Walker 11; Ella Quiring 8
 
Site: Florence, SC (Pearl Moore Basketball Center)
Date: 11/12/23       Attend: 163   Time: 2:24   
Referees:  Randy McLamb (1), Ryan Kingsland (2), Dewey Capps (LJ), Kaona Mercer (LJ)