PEMBROKE, NC – Senior outside hitter Kara Walker and sophomore outside hitter Chaney Barth paced Francis Marion University with 11 kills apiece in a 25-18, 25-23, and 26-24 defeat of UNC Pembroke on Tuesday (Oct. 15) evening.
 
Francis Marion will host Young Harris College on Friday at 6 p.m. and Conference Carolinas addition Shorter University on Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
Along with 11 kills apiece, Walker and Barth both recorded a double-double. Walker tallied 12 digs, while Barth recorded a career-high 17 digs.
 
Junior middle blocker Caroline Lucas chipped in another eight kills for the Patriots while leading in blocks with six.
 
FMU junior libero Katie Floyd registered 14 digs, while junior setter Mya Mendoza posted 29 assists. 
 
Both teams went point-for-point in the first set before FMU opened the set with a four-point spurt, starting with a Barth kill. Two back-to-back kills from Walker finished the set for the Patriots. Much like the first set, Francis Marion and Pembroke played neck and neck before the Patriots claimed set two.  FMU rallied from a 19-18 deficit for the 25-23 victory.
 
The Patriots climbed back from a four-point deficit early in the third set with a 9-0 run. A late five-point run from the Braves put UNCP on top 21-20, but a kill by Barth provided the final point for the Francis Marion 26-24 win and sweep.