NORTH CHARLESTON. SC – Despite a resounding first-set win, Francis Marion University saw its season come to an end with an 18-25, 25-7, 25-18, 25-20 loss to UNC Pembroke, Friday evening (Nov. 17) in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Conference Carolinas Women's Volleyball Tournament.
 
Francis Marion, seeded fifth in the tournament, ends its season with a 16-16 mark, while fourth-seeded UNCP (20-13) advances to face top-seeded University of Mount Olive in the semifinals on Saturday.
 
Freshman outside hitter Madilyn Gartner led FMU with 11 kills and eight digs, while sophomore All-Conference middle blocker Caroline Lucas recorded eight kills.  Junior middle blocker Mo Grigsby added seven kills.
 
Senior setter Kaylee Gillespie, a first-team All-Conference selection, dished out 33 assists and dug up eight balls in her final collegiate contest.  Third all-time on the Patriot career assists list, she finishes with 3,578. 
 
Sophomore libero Katie Floyd registered a team-high 16 digs to lead the Patriot defense.
 
Vanja Przulj paced the Braves with 17 kills and 15 digs.
 
The two squads started out evenly in the opening set.  FMU snapped a 7-7 deadlock with a 3-0 run.  With the margin still three at 18-15, two kills by Grigsby and one by junior Kara Walker upped the margin to 21-16.  A kill by Gartner ended the set and handed the Patriots a 25-18 win.
 
FMU registered the first point of the second set, but UNCP responded with a 7-0 spurt and would never look back en route to a second set victory to even the match.
 
The Braves tallied the first four points of the third set, but the Patriots rallied to knot the score at 7-7.  Francis Marion trailed by just one at 13-12, fell behind 16-13, but charged back to tie the score at 16-16 on a kill by Gartner.  However, UNCP ran off four straight points and closed the set on a 9-2 run to win 25-18.
 
The fourth set featured nine ties, the final one at 18-18.  The Braves scored three straight points, before Grigsby stopped the run with a kill, but UNCP earned four of the final five points to clinch the victory.
 
 
UNC Pembroke def. Francis Marion Univ. 18-25,25-7,25-18,25-20
 
Francis Marion Univ. (16-16) (Kills-aces-blocks) -
Madilyn Gartner 11-0-0; Caroline Lucas 8-1-2; Mo Grigsby 7-0-0; Kaylee
Gillespie 4-0-0; Kara Walker 4-0-0; Kaytlin Smart 4-0-3; Katie Kemp
1-2-1; Totals 39-3-3.0. (Assists) - Kaylee Gillespie 33. (Dig leaders)
- Katie Floyd 16; Madilyn Gartner 8; Kaylee Gillespie 8
 
UNC Pembroke (20-13) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Przulj,
Vanja 17-1-1; Fraidenburg, Emma 10-0-2; Peduzzi, Abby 10-0-0;
Countryman, Ruby 8-0-2; Swain, Katelynn 6-2-2; Pressley, Katie 3-3-1;
Turbyfill, Hope 0-1-0; Patterson, Tyler 0-3-0; Coghlan, Kyleigh 0-1-0;
Totals 54-11-5.0. (Assists) - Pressley, Katie 45. (Dig leaders) -
Przulj, Vanja 15; Coghlan, Kyleigh 12; Pressley, Katie 12; Patterson,
Tyler 8
 
Site: North Charleston, SC (North Charleston Athletic Center)
Date: 11/17/23       Attend: 317   Time: 1:50