FLORENCE, SC – Senior opposite hitter
Camryn Faggart and sophomore outside hitter
Haleigh Kamer combined for 29 kills on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 19), as Francis Marion University secured a 3-0 sweep over Lees-McRae College in Conference Carolinas women's volleyball action at the Smith University Center.
With the win, the Patriots improve to 8-4 this season with a 4-1 mark in league play and will close out a five-game homestand on Tuesday, Sept. 22, with a divisional match against rival UNC Pembroke at 6 p.m. Meanwhile, the Bobcats drop to 3-11 overall with a 3-3 record in conference action.
Faggart totaled a game-high 15 kills on a .519 hitting percentage while adding two blocks and two digs. Kamer delivered a fantastic all-around performance after finishing with 14 kills on a .300 clip with four service aces and nine digs. Sophomore setter
Aubrey Johnson guided the offense with 36 assists, two aces, one block, and six digs.
Freshman libero
Alyssa Whiteside contributed defensively with 18 digs, three assists, and two service aces. Senior outside hitter
Madilyn Gartner also reached double-digit digs with 10 while adding five kills, two service aces, and five blocks. The Patriots recorded a season-high 12 aces in the victory, led by Kamer with four.
The sides exchanged points to begin the opening set before Francis Marion scored five straight to build a 13-8 edge. A kill by Kamer and a service ace from senior defensive specialist
McKenna Wiseman allowed the Patriots to stretch the lead to 18-11 before a 7-2 run closed out the first set in favor of Francis Marion, 25-14.
In the second set, the Patriots quickly established a 7-2 advantage with Gartner and graduate student middle blocker
Vanessa Blake each totaling two kills. With FMU ahead 9-5, the Patriots scored eight of the next nine points with a trio of kills by Faggart to take a 17-6 lead. Francis Marion comfortably pulled away late in the set with Kamer's ace sealing the victory, 25-13.
FMU held a 7-6 lead in the initial moments of the third set before going on an impressive 8-1 run to take a significant 15-7 lead. The Bobcats rallied to cut the deficit to 20-16 following three unanswered points, but the Patriots ultimately secured the 25-20 win after two kills by freshman outside hitter
Gabby Humbles.
