TIGERVILLE, SC – The Francis Marion University volleyball team fell in its two matches on Saturday (Sept. 23), first to Conference Carolinas foe North Greenville University (25-27, 25-17, 25-18, 25-12) and second to non-conference opponent Lenoir Rhyne University (25-18, 23-25, 25-22, 25-23).
 
Francis Marion, now 6-8 overall and 3-1 in league play, will play its next game on Tuesday at 6 p.m. against Chowan University in Murfreesboro, N.C.
 
Game One: North Greenville University
 
Junior outside hitter Kara Walker led the Patriots in kills with 15 and a .267 hitting percentage. Walker also registered one block along with seven digs.
 
Closely behind Walker, junior middle blocker Mo Grigsby had a productive game against the Crusaders with 11 kills and a .333 hitting percentage. Continuing to be a wall at the net, Grigsby collected three blocks for the match.
 
Madilyn Gartner, a freshman outside hitter proving her offensive prowess at a young age, posted another 10 kills and also had two block assists with five digs.
 
The team's lone senior, setter Kaylee Gillespie, registered 44 assists to her already impressive 433 season total. Making an impression in all aspects of the game, Gillespie posted one kill, one block, two service aces, and 12 digs.
 
Sophomore libero Katie Floyd, playing steady defense for the Patriots, dug up a total of 16 digs against the Crusaders. Floyd also had a total of four assists.
 
Abigail Durham paced the Crusaders (10-3, 3-0) with 25 kills.
 
With a first-ball kill from Walker, Francis Marion had a promising start to their match-up against North Greenville. A quick lead exchange early in the first set would prove this to be a fight for the Patriots to win. Gillespie, mixing up her offensive tactics, kept North Greenville on its toes with kills from Walker, Grigsby, Gartner, and Caroline Lucas. It went point-for-point the entirety of the first set and Francis Marion finally closed out at a score of 27-25 against the Crusaders.
 
Much like the first set, Francis Marion went head-to-head with North Greenville. Despite early kills from Lucas, NGU was able to put up a four-point run on FMU and took a 10-5 lead. The Patriots continued to fight to regain the lead, but North Greenville was heating up and put Francis Marion in a seven-point deficit. The Crusaders ended the game with another kill from Durham and a score of 25-17.
 
Despite a strong start from the Patriots, the Crusaders took the remaining two sets of the match. FMU closed out with set losses of 25-18 and 25-12.
 
Game Two: Lenoir-Rhyne
 
Choosing a different offensive approach compared to game one, the Patriots were led in kills by sophomore middle blocker Caroline Lucas. Lucas picked up a total of 15 kills against the Bears with a .414 hitting percentage and two blocks.
 
Walker, still as present as the first game, also had 11 kills for the Patriots with 13 digs and three blocks.
 
Gillespie once again made an impression in every aspect, posting two kills, three service aces, two blocks, 12 digs, and 49 assists.
 
Floyd led Francis Marion with another 16 digs and four assists.
 
Unlike their first game of the day, the Patriots dropped their first set against Lenoir Rhyne, falling short by seven points (25-18). Gillespie made great use of each hitter in the first set, including Kaytlin Smart working around the block with ease. Although good offensive efforts, the Bears (11-3) were able to capitalize on errors made by the Patriots and take a 1-0 lead over Francis Marion.
 
Francis Marion continued to keep the match close and took set two from the Bears. Lucas, heating up, had a total of five kills in the second set. With a late run, the Patriots shut out Lenoir Rhyne at a score of 25-23. Despite a hard-fought first two sets, Francis Marion was unable to hold on as Lenoir Rhyne took the final two sets.
 
 
North Greenville def. Francis Marion Univ. 25-27,25-17,25-18,25-12
 
Francis Marion Univ. (6-7,2-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Kara
Walker 15-0-1; Mo Grigsby 11-0-3; Madilyn Gartner 10-0-2; Kaytlin
Smart 7-0-1; Caroline Lucas 7-1-2; Kaylee Gillespie 1-2-1; Totals
51-3-5.0. (Assists) - Kaylee Gillespie 44. (Dig leaders) - Katie Floyd
16; Kaylee Gillespie 12; Kayla Clayworth 12
 
North Greenville (10-3,3-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Durham,
Abigail 25-2-2; Dyer, Elena 14-0-1; Ball, Samantha 13-0-2; Fiddelke,
Anna 9-0-1; Davis, Kelli 5-0-4; Conner, Ashlyn 1-0-1; Mathis, Klayton
1-1-0; Totals 68-3-6.0. (Assists) - Conner, Ashlyn 55. (Dig leaders) -
Ball, Samantha 20; Mathis, Klayton 17; Conner, Ashlyn 14; Durham,
Abigail 9
 
Site: Tigerville, SC (Hayes Gymnasium)
Date: 09/23/23       Attend: 212   Time: 1:49
 
Lenoir-Rhyne def. Francis Marion Univ. 25-18,23-25,25-22,25-23
 
Lenoir-Rhyne (11-3) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Allen, Emmaleigh
19-5-1; McNeill, Aasia 14-0-1; Clonch, Cheyenne 7-0-6; Osborne, Taylor
6-0-0; Peter, Kathy 4-0-1; Karjala, Sydney 3-4-4; Warren, Lyndsie
2-1-0; Hennings, Parkley 0-3-0; Totals 55-13-7.0. (Assists) - Karjala,
Sydney 41. (Dig leaders) - McNeill, Aasia 20; Warren, Lyndsie 18;
Karjala, Sydney 16; Hennings, Parkley 9
 
Francis Marion Univ. (6-8) (Kills-aces-blocks) -
Caroline Lucas 15-0-3; Kara Walker 11-1-0; Kaytlin Smart 9-0-2;
Madilyn Gartner 9-1-2; Mo Grigsby 8-0-4; Kaylee Gillespie 2-3-2;
Totals 54-5-7.0. (Assists) - Kaylee Gillespie 49. (Dig leaders) -
Katie Floyd 16; Madilyn Gartner 13; Kara Walker 13; Kaylee Gillespie
12; Kayla Clayworth 8
 
Site: Tigerville, SC (Hayes Gymnasium)
Date: 09/23/23       Attend: 97   Time: 1:43