FLORENCE, SC – Senior middleblocker Caroline Lucas pounded out 18 kills with a .486 hitting percentage to lead Francis Marion University to a 19-25, 25-17, 25-5, 25-13 Conference Carolinas win over Ferrum College, Wednesday evening (Oct. 8) in volleyball action.
 
The Patriots (10-7, 8-0) remain the only unbeaten team in league play and return to the court on Friday to face the conference's preseason favorite Emmanuel University on the road, starting at 6 p.m.
 
Lucas committed only one attacking error in her 35 swings and moves to within six of 1000 kills for her career.  She also moved past Kayla Arthur and into 14th position on the Patriot career kills list with 994.
 
Junior Madilyn Gartner followed Lucas with 12 kills, while senior Katie Kemp registered a season-high 10 kills.  Senior setter Mya Mendoza handed out 24 assists, served four aces, and dug up 11 balls for her second double-double of the year.  Freshman setter Aubrey Johnson chipped in 12 assists.
 
Junior libero McKenna Wiseman led the Patriot defense with 22 digs, whiloe freshman middleblocker Makayla Stockwell had six blocks.
 
The Panthers (2-12, 0-10) built an early 12-7 advantage in the opening set before a three-point run by Francis Marion closed the gap to 12-10. The Patriots were unable to find their rhythm offensively as Ferrum extended its lead to 20-13, but FMU rallied to cut the deficit to 23-19 following back-to-back kills from Gartner and senior Vanessa Blake. The Panthers scored the final two points in the first set to win by a 25-19 margin.
 
In the second set, Francis Marion responded with 13 kills on a .294 hitting percentage along with three service aces. The Patriots scored six unanswered points to begin the set behind two aces and a kill by Mendoza. FMU quickly extended its lead to 21-11 with Lucas contributing a trio kills, but the Panthers countered by scoring six of the next nine points to trail 24-17. Lucas finished the second set with a kill as the Patriots won by a final score of 25-17.
 
The Patriots delivered another strong offensive performance in the third set after totaling 13 kills on a .289 clip, while capitalizing on 13 attacking errors by Ferrum. Francis Marion established a significant 12-2 lead behind six kills by Lucas. With FMU leading 13-4, the Patriots scored eight-straight points to hold a 21-4 advantage. Francis Marion closed out a set with a dominant 25-5 victory.
 
The fourth set was tight through the early going.  FMU took the lead for good at 9-8 following an attacking error by the Panthers.  That point began an 8-2 run that included two more aces by Mendoza.  Senior Katie Floyd and Wiseman combined to serve out a set-ending 9-1 spurt that gave the Patriots a 25-13 decision.