FLORENCE, SC –  Freshman outside hitter Madilyn Gartner registered 13 kills and 10 digs for her fifth double-double in the past nine matches as Francis Marion University swept past visiting Converse University 25-22, 25-14, 25-17, Saturday afternoon (Sept. 30) in Conference Carolinas volleyball action.
 
Francis Marion improves to 9-8 overall and to 5-1 in conference play with its third straight victory.  FMU will play at Augusta University on Friday at 6 p.m. in a non-conference match-up.
 
Gartner also served a pair of aces in the match, as FMU totaled 10 as a team.
 
Senior setter Kaylee Gillespie tallied 41 assists and three service aces.  Under her direction, the Patriot offense hit a season-high .349.
 
Junior Kara Walker followed Gartner with 12 kills, seven digs, and three aces, while junior middle blocker Mo Grigsby hit .500 with nine kills and sophomore Caroline Lucas also hit .500 with eight kills.
 
Sophomore libero Katie Floyd dug up a match-high 18 balls.
 
Evelyn Fitz led Converse (3-11, 2-4) with nine kills and 11 digs.
 
The opening set featured 16 ties and six lead changes.  A pair of kills by Gartner broke the final deadlock at 21-21.  Two attacking errors by the Valkyries, one of which was blocked by Gartner and Lucas, led to the 25-22 FMU win.
 
Converse scored the first point of the second set, but the Patriots responded with seven consecutive points behind the serving of Gillespie.  The Valkyries managed to pull within 11-9, but FMU closed the set with a 14-5 spurt.
 
In the final set, FMU registered the first two points and would never trail.  Converse did tie the score at 12-12, but a Gartner kill ignited a match-ending 13-5 run.

 
 
Francis Marion Univ. def. Converse 25-22,25-14,25-17
 
Converse (3-11,2-4 Conference) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Fitz, Evelyn
9-1-1; Barr, Tori 8-0-1; Bryant, Ariel 7-1-0; Gripado, Tia 5-0-1;
Schmucker, Mackenzie 4-1-1; Robertson, Alayah 2-0-2; Day, Mackenzie
0-2-0; Totals 35-5-3.0. (Assists) - Schmucker, Mackenzie 27. (Dig
leaders) - Day, Mackenzie 15; Fitz, Evelyn 11; Gripado, Tia 8;
Schmucker, Mackenzie 8
 
Francis Marion Univ. (9-8,5-1 Conference C) (Kills-aces-blocks) -
Madilyn Gartner 13-2-1; Kara Walker 12-3-0; Mo Grigsby 9-0-1; Caroline
Lucas 8-1-1; Kaytlin Smart 3-0-0; Kaylee Gillespie 1-3-1; Katie Floyd
0-1-0; Totals 46-10-2.0. (Assists) - Kaylee Gillespie 41. (Dig
leaders) - Katie Floyd 18; Kayla Clayworth 10; Madilyn Gartner 10
 
Site: Florence, SC (Smith University Cen)
Date: 09/30/23       Attend: 203   Time: 1:36