FLORENCE, SC – Senior outside hitter
Madilyn Gartner registered a game-high 11 kills on a .409 clip, as Francis Marion University completed the 3-0 sweep over Shorter University on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 12) in Conference Carolinas play at the Smith University Center.
With the win, the Patriots are riding a three-game winning streak and improve to 7-3 overall with a 3-0 mark in league action. FMU will be idle for nearly a week before facing Emmanuel University, the preseason favorite in the Conference Carolinas, on Friday, Sept. 18, at 6 p.m. in Florence. Shorter drops to 3-7 this season with a 1-2 record in conference play.
Gartner paced the Patriots with 11 kills while adding nine digs, two assists, and one block. Senior opposite hitter
Camryn Faggart recorded nine kills, four digs, and one block, while graduate student middle blocker
Vanessa Blake finished with eight kills on a .583 hitting percentage. Sophomore outside hitter
Haleigh Kamer also contributed eight kills with five digs and one block.
Sophomore setter
Aubrey Johnson delivered her sixth double-double of the season after recording 28 assists, 10 digs, and two service aces. Freshman libero
Alyssa Whiteside had another outstanding performance after tallying a game-high 15 digs against the Hawks. The Patriots also produced eight service aces in the match.
In the first set, Francis Marion quickly established a 9-2 edge as middle blockers Blake and sophomore
McKayla Stockwell combined for five kills. The Patriots eventually stretched the lead to 18-7 before the Hawks rallied to cut the deficit to 23-15. Johnson and Kamer recorded kills in to close out the opening set win, 25-16.
Shorter responded in the opening moments of the second set, pulling in front by a 12-8 margin. FMU answered with a 6-1 rally, which included four-straight kills by Faggart, to take a 14-13 edge. The Hawks tied the match at 14-14, but the Patriots continued forward with an 11-5 run to seal the victory, 25-19.
In the third, the sides exchanged points early before the Hawks scored four of five points to hold a 12-9 advantage. The Patriots countered with six unanswered points with Kamer recording three kills to regain the lead, 15-12. With FMU ahead 17-14, Shorter scored nine-straight points to pull ahead 23-17. Shorter reached set point at 24-20 following a block, but Francis Marion scored six consecutive points to secured the sweep, 26-24.
