MURFREESBORO, NC - Senior middleblocker Caroline Lucas led the charge and contributed to a sizzling start of set two as Francis Marion University swept Chowan University 25-17, 25-13, 25-21 at Bob Burke Court on Wednesday evening (Sept. 24) in Conference Carolinas volleyball action.
 
With this win, it brings the Patriots to a 5-6 overall record alongside a squeaky-clean conference record of 4-0, leaving them first in the East Division. FMU improves their all-time series record against CU to 12-1. The Hawks fall to 2-10 overall and 1-3 in the conference.
 
The next matches for Francis Marion will be Friday at home against the Flying Fleet of Erskine College at 4 p.m. and Flagler College at 6 p.m.
 
Key factors for the Patriots included Lucas with season-high 16 kills (seven of them being earned in the first set) and two blocks, while junior Madilyn Gartner had eight kills.  Freshman setter Aubrey Johnson, the conference's recent Specialist of the Week, handed out a game-high 26 assists, and senior libero Katie Floyd flexed her defensive efforts with a game-high 23 digs.
 
It was evenly matched at the start of set one until Lucas and friends shook the room with a 5-0 run, making it 10-5. Attacking and service errors were the Achilles heel for the Hawks on top of kills from Gartner, junior Camryn Faggart, and freshman McKayla Stockwell. Faggart and Lucas were responsible for the next six consecutive points alongside an attacking error on Chowan to make it 23-12. CU retaliated with kills from Hanna Virts, Anna Holcombe, and Gabriella Figueroa, but their momentum fell flat due to a service error and a kill from Lucas to finish the set, 25-17.
 
Set two was all gas, no brakes for the Patriots as they scored 10 back-to-back points thanks to Faggart, Lucas, and junior Allison Miller along with attacking errors. FMU continued to capitalize off Chowan's errors and Lucas added fuel to the fire to make it 16-7.  A 7-1 run by Francis Marion ended the set at 25-13.
 
Gartner started the party in set three before Chowan showed resilience to make the score 7-4 in favor of the home team. A 5-1 advantage flipped the script to have FMU regain the lead due to kills from Miller, Lucas, and senior Mya Mendoza. Holcombe temporarily ended CU's slump, but a 4-0 run from FMU made the score 13-9, including a Stockwell kill. The Hawks took control with an 8-2 run of their own to tie the set at 19-19. However, Francis Marion went on a 6-2 run to win the set 25-21 and complete the sweep with the help of Lucas and Gartner.