AIKEN, SC – On the final day of the USCA Invitational, the Patriots were dealt two losses on Saturday, dropping a 3-0 decision to USC Aiken before falling by a 3-0 margin to Augusta at the Convocation Center.

Francis Marion University will begin Conference Carolinas play next week on Tuesday, Sept.16, at Barton before returning home for a pair of games, including its home-opener versus Converse on Friday, Sept. 19.

Against USC Aiken (3-3) of the Peach Belt Conference (PBC), Francis Marion suffered a 3-0 loss (20-25, 16-25, 18-25) in the second matchup between the sides in the early 2025 season. The series is split at 1-1 this year with a third game set for Wednesday, Oct. 1 in Florence at 6 p.m.

Junior Madilyn Gartner delivered another strong performance against the Pacers after totaling a game-high 16 kills on a .294 hitting percentage with two blocks and four digs. Fellow junior Allison Miller finished with six kills, one ace, and seven digs over three sets played, while sophomore Ella Curbow contributed four kills, four blocks, and two digs. Freshman Aubrey Johnson directed the offense with 13 assists and four digs on Saturday. Senior Mya Mendoza tallied 10 assists and three digs in the loss.

Defensively, senior Katie Floyd led the Patriots with 10 digs, her fourth-straight match with double-digit kills.

Against Augusta (5-1) of the PBC, FMU fell by a 3-0 margin (20-25, 24-26, 16-25) to the Jaguars in its closing match of the USCA Invitational. Senior Caroline Lucas led the Patriots with eight kills on a .316 hitting percentage with one block. Junior Camryn Faggart delivered seven kills in the loss, while Miller tallied five kills and 13 digs in three sets played. Johnson guided the offense with 10 assists, eight digs, and five service aces.

Miller paced the defensive effort with 13 digs while Gartner and Floyd each totaled 11 digs for the Patriots.