FLORENCE, SC – In a five-set thriller on Friday night (Sept. 19) in the home-opener, Francis Marion University rallied to a 3-2 victory (25-23, 21-25, 21-25, 25-22, 15-10) over Converse in Conference Carolinas action at the Smith University Center.

The Patriots earned back-to-back league wins to improve to 3-6 overall with a 2-0 mark in conference play. Francis Marion earns its third-straight win over the Valkyries and holds a 10-1 record in the series. FMU returns to the court tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 20, with a matchup against Southern Wesleyan at 2 p.m. in the University Center.

Converse (5-2, 1-1 CC) drops just its second match of the season, coming off a 2024 Conference Carolinas Tournament Championship.

Junior Madilyn Gartner set a new career-high with 24 kills while adding 16 digs and three blocks. Fellow junior Camryn Faggart finished with 13 kills, two digs, and two blocks against the Valkyries. Senior Caroline Lucas and freshman McKayla Stockwell each contributed nine kills while junior Allison Miller registered eight kills. Freshman Aubrey Johnson directed the offense with a season-high 48 assists in the win.

Senior Katie Floyd led the defensive effort with 22 digs and added six assists. Gartner and Miller each finished with 16 digs while redshirt junior Kayla Clayworth tallied nine digs. At the net, Lucas led the Patriots with four blocks and Gartner totaled three.

Francis Marion established an early 10 -4 in the opening set behind kills from three different players. Following a Converse timeout, the Valkyries found their offense after going on a 10-2 rally to claim a 14-12 advantage. The match would be tied fifth time down the stretch of the first set before FMU scored three unanswered to take a 24-22 edge. The Patriots closed out the first set with a kill by Miller to win by a 25-23 margin.

In the second set, the Patriots jumped in front with a 9-4 lead behind a pair of kills by Gartner. The Valkyries battled to close the deficit to 17-16 before eventually tying the match at 19-19. Converse continued its push late in the set with four-straight points to hold a 23-19 advantage. Despite a late rally by Francis Marion, the Valkyries secured the second set by a score of 25-21.

Converse carried momentum into the third set after building a 10-5 advantage before the Patriots tallied three consecutive kills to trim the deficit to 10-8. The Valkyries remained in the lead throughout the third set and established a 21-16 edge. FMU responded by scoring three of the next four points, but Converse took the third set, 25-21.

In the fourth set, Francis Marion held an 8-4 edge following a kill by Stockwell before climbing the lead to 12-6. The Valkyries cut the deficit to 16-13, but the Patriots scored four unanswered to take a 20-13 advantage. Despite a late rally by Converse, FMU sealed the fourth set on a kill by Faggart, 25-22.

The Valkyries managed to take an 8-6 edge in the fifth set before the Patriots countered with five-straight points to hold an 11-8 lead. Following a point by Converse, Francis Marion tallied four of the final five points to capture a 15-10 win.