MURFREESBORO, NC - Junior middle blocker Caroline Lucas recorded a season-high of 18 kills with a .400 hitting percentage to lead Francis Marion University in a 25-21, 22-25, 25-17, 25-18 road victory over Chowan University on Saturday (Nov. 9) afternoon.
 
The Patriots (15-12, 13-4) will host Barton College for their final home game and final regular-season match on Tuesday (Nov. 12) at 6 p.m.  The Patriots currently stand third in the KPI rankings that determine seeding for the upcoming conference tournament.
  
With a .257 hitting percentage, senior middle blocker Kaytlin Smart tallied 13 kills while pacing the Patriots with two blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Chaney Barth recorded her sixth double-double of the season as she had 12 kills and 12 digs.
 
Junior libero Katie Floyd registered a team-high 21 digs and served three aces, while senior outside hitter Kara Walker contributed an additional 20 digs.
 
FMU junior setter Mya Mendoza fell three short of tying her career high in assists while posting 45. Mendoza also dished out 10 digs for her tenth double-double of the season.
 
Junior Andrea Delcher led FMU at the service line with four aces, while also digging up 11 balls.
 
Diana Rodriguez led the Hawks (4-20, 2-15) with 46 digs, while Alyssa Thompson tallied 12 kills.
 
The Hawks began the opening set with a four-point lead, later extending it to 12-6. A five-point run closed the gap for Francis Marion and kept the Patriots trailing by one at 12-11. A kill from Smart allowed FMU to take the lead at 16-15 and the Patriots held the lead for the remainder of the first set, winning 25-21.
 
Despite Francis Marion playing a close second set and tying the score multiple times, Chowan trailed only once and went on to win 25-22 and even the match.
 
With kills from Smart, Barth, and sophomore opposite-side hitter Camryn Faggart, the Patriots jumped to a 4-0 lead and never trailed in the third set. Francis Marion extended the lead to seven points after a four-point run. Although Chowan trimmed the lead back to just two points at 15-13, FMU kept the advantage and finished set three at 25-17.
 
Similar to the third set, Francis Marion never trailed and started with a five-point advantage at 7-2. A final service ace from Floyd finished the game at 25-18.