MacDonald serves up 100th win as FMU beats ASU 3-1

FLORENCE, SC - Freshman Ashlyn Underhill registered a career-high 15 kills to lead four Francis Marion University players with double figures kills as the Patriots downed Augusta State University in four games (25-6, 18-25, 26-24, 25-16), Friday evening (Sept. 26) in Peach Belt Conference volleyball action, and in the process handed FMU head coach Paul MacDonald his 100th career coaching victory.

Francis Marion improves to 12-4 and is 1-0 in the PBC.  The Patriots are only one win shy of last year's win total, while posting a 12-4 mark for the second time in MacDonald's three seasons on the FMU bench.  Altogether, MacDonald now owns a 100-82 mark in six seasons as a college head coach.

Behind the serving of freshman Ashlee Crook, FMU cruised to a 25-6 win in game one, but the next three contests were much tighter.

Following Underhill, senior Jessica Lombardi had 14 kills, freshman Amanda Mitchell 13 kills, and Crook 10.  Senior setter Jenna Kaiser handed out 43 assists, while sophomore libero Kelsie Deaton had a team-high 13 digs.  Freshman Hallie Legg compiled 10 digs and served three aces.  Crook also dug up 10 balls.

Senior Amy Hunt led ASU (7-11, 0-1) with 14 kills and nine digs.  Freshman setter Ashley Zappitell recorded 31 assists and 14 digs, while junior libero Lindsey Weider had 16 digs.

Francis Marion will play host to UNC Pembroke on Wednesday at 7 p.m., while ASU travels up Interstate 95 to play a pair of matches at UNCP on Saturday (Sept. 27).

Francis Marion Univ. def. Augusta State Univ. 25-6,18-25,26-24,25-16

Augusta State Univ. (7-11 (0-1)) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Hunt, Amy

14-0-2; Howard, Jessica 9-0-7; Meyer, Dianna 7-0-0; Childress, Tarah

3-0-3; Hanson, Jessica 3-0-2; Zappitell, Ashley 1-2-1; Weider, Lindsey

0-1-0; Totals 37-3-9.0. (Assists) - Zappitell, Ashley 31. (Dig

leaders) - Weider, Lindsey 16; Zappitell, Ashley 14; Lowther, Chase

11; Hunt, Amy 9

Francis Marion Univ. (12-4 (1-0)) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Underhill,

Ashlyn 15-1-1; Lombardi, Jessica 14-1-5; Mitchell, Amanda 13-0-1;

Crook, Ashlee 10-1-1; Eggert, Mallory 3-0-3; Kaiser, Jenna 3-0-2;

Simpson, Caitlin 1-0-0; Legg, Hallie 0-3-0; Totals 59-6-8.0. (Assists)

- Kaiser, Jenna 43. (Dig leaders) - Deaton, Kelsie 13; Legg, Hallie

10; Crook, Ashlee 10; O'Leary, Jess 9

Site: Florence, SC (Smith Univ. Center)

Date: Sep 26, 2008   Attend: 167   Time: 1:43

Referees: Tony Hill, Kaye Moody

Peach Belt Conference opener for both teams

Liberos:  Deaton (FMU), Weider (ASU)