FLORENCE, SC – The Patriots delivered a dominant and balanced offensive performance on Saturday (Oct. 10) with 41 kills on a season-high .409 hitting percentage, as Francis Marion University completed the 3-0 sweep (25-13, 25-16, 25-13) over King University in Conference Carolinas women's volleyball action in the Smith University Center.
With the win, FMU secures a third straight win via a sweep and improves to 15-5 overall with an 11-2 mark in league competition. Meanwhile, King suffers a second-straight loss to fall to 9-10 with a 4-8 record in conference play.
Francis Marion begins a four-match road stretch on Tuesday, Oct. 13, with a divisional match at Barton College slated to start at 6 p.m.
Senior opposite hitter
Camryn Faggart led the Patriot attack with 11 kills on a staggering .476 clip with three blocks and one dig. Sophomore outside hitter
Haleigh Kamer contributed double-digit kills with 10 on a .364 hitting percentage, while graduate student middle blocker
Vanessa Blake tallied six kills on a .417 clip with five blocks. Sophomore setter
Aubrey Johnson directed the offense with 22 assists, plus one service ace, two blocks, and two digs.
Freshman libero
Alyssa Whiteside produced another fantastic defensive performance with 19 digs and a perfect reception percentage. Senior outside hitter Madilyn Garter finished with 10 digs, two kills, one ace, and two blocks. As a team, the Patriots registered seven aces and nine blocks against the Tornado.
The Patriots delivered a stellar opening set after recording 14 kills on a .583 hitting percentage with zero attacking errors. FMU built an early 8-3 advantage as Kamer delivered two kills and a service ace. The Tornado countered to close the gap to 10-7, but Francis Marion scored seven unanswered points with two aces by senior defensive specialist
Kayla Clayworth to take a commanding 17-7 lead. FMU maintained its lead down the stretch as back-to-back kills by senior outside hitter
Allison Miller secured the 25-13 win.
In the second set, the Patriots leaped out to a 5-0 edge before King closed the gap to 10-7. Francis Marion scored five of the next seven points to stretch the lead to 14-8 before eventually increasing the advantage to 18-10. After consecutive kills by the Tornado, Francis Marion tallied four straight points and pulled away for a 25-16 victory.
FMU established a quick 5-1 lead in the third set before King rallied to cut the deficit to 11-9. The Patriots mounted a 7-1 run with a pair of kills by Faggart to climb ahead 18-10. Francis Marion scored seven of the final nine points of the match with a trio of kills by Faggart to capture the 25-13 win.
