MOUNT OLIVE, NC – Francis Marion University junior outside hitter Kara Walker posted yet another double-double in the Patriots' five-set 25-21, 21-25, 25-14, 20-25,15-13 loss to the University of Mount Olive on Saturday (Nov. 4) night in Conference Carolinas volleyball action.
 
FMU (14-15, 10-6) will return to the court on Monday (Nov. 6) evening in Wilson, N.C., against Barton College in the regular-season finale.  The Patriots drop one game behind UMO and UNC Pembroke in the race for the East Division title.
 
Walker led the Patriots with 12 kills and 13 digs, while freshman outside hitter Madilyn Gartner registered eight kills and six digs.
 
FMU junior middle blocker Mo Grigsby recorded a team-high 13 kills and a .345 hitting percentage with three blocks. Senior setter Kaylee Gillespie tallied 44 assists, a career-high 27 digs, and four blocks, while sophomore libero Katie Floyd dished out 15 digs.   Gillespie pushed her career digs total to 1,012 to join FMU Hall of Fame setter Crystal Poskey (1996-99) as the only Patriots in program history to record 3,000 assists, 1,000 digs, and 125 service aces.
 
Ashlyn Stone paced the Trojans (20-9, 14-2) with 18 kills, while her teammate Jenna Myer posted 24 assists as UMO extended its conference play home-court winning streak to 23.
 
In the opening set, FMU trailed for the entirety of the set, but was able cut down a seven-point lead down to only four points with a pair of kills from Walker. Despite a strong effort from the Patriots, Mount Olive closed out set one with a score of 25-21. Much like the first set, Francis Marion began in a six-point deficit, but climbed their way back to a 15-14 lead. FMU maintained the lead for the remained of the second set and closed with a score of 25-20.
 
The Trojans jumped on top quickly in the third set and took FMU down by 11 points. The Patriots regained their composure and took off in the fourth set. Kills from middle blocker Caroline Lucas and Grigsby pushed Francis Marion over the top for a 25-20 win.
 
In the deciding set, Francis Marion took the Trojans up by four points with a pair of blocks from Lucas, as she proved to be a massive defensive threat to UMO. Despite Francis Marion possessing a hefty 10-5 lead in the final set, UMO knotted the score at 13-13 and went on to finish 15-13.  
 
 
Mount Olive def. Francis Marion Univ. 25-21,21-25,25-14,20-25,15-13
 
Francis Marion Univ. (14-15,10-6 Conferenc) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Mo
Grigsby 13-0-3; Kara Walker 12-2-2; Madilyn Gartner 8-0-0; Katie Kemp
7-0-1; Kaytlin Smart 7-0-6; Caroline Lucas 7-1-8; Kaylee Gillespie
1-1-4; Katie Floyd 0-1-0; Totals 55-5-12.0. (Assists) - Kaylee
Gillespie 44. (Dig leaders) - Kaylee Gillespie 27; Katie Floyd 15;
Kara Walker 13; Ella Quiring 8
 
Mount Olive (20-9,14-2 Conference) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Stone, Ashlyn
18-0-2; Landis, Kaitlyn 12-0-3; Cox, Karoline 10-2-2; Mullins, Callie
9-0-0; Pec, Neza 4-1-0; Carter, Kate 4-0-3; Myer, Jenna 1-0-0;
Sheaffer, Caroline 0-5-0; Prots, Morgan 0-2-0; Totals 58-10-6.0.
(Assists) - Myer, Jenna 24; Reid, Lyndsay 22. (Dig leaders) - Prots,
Morgan 20; Pec, Neza 16; Myer, Jenna 10
 
Site: Mount Olive, NC (Kornegay Arena)
Date: 11/04/23       Attend: 184   Time: 2:15