Patriots beat USCA for key PBC road win

AIKEN, SC - Freshman Amanda Mitchell and Ashlyn Underhill combined for 25 kills to lead Francis Marion University to a four-set win (22-25, 25-19, 25-7, 25-17) over USC Aiken, Saturday afternoon (Nov. 1) in Peach Belt Conference volleyball action.

FMU improves to 20-7 overall and 6-3 in the PBC, while USCA drops to 15-11 and 3-4.

Mitchell has 13 kills and only one error in 15 attack attempts for an amazing .800 percentage, while Underhill had 12 kills and three errors in 15 attempts.  Mitchell also recorded four block assists.  Senior Jessica Lombardi added nine kills and 14 digs, while senior setter Jenna Kaiser handed out 37 assists and dug up 13 balls.  Libero Kelsie Deaton paced FMU defensively with 17 digs.

Francis Marion also totaled nine service aces.

The Patriots will close out their home schedule on Wednesday with a 7 p.m. match-up with NCAA Division I opponent South Carolina State University.

Francis Marion Univ. def. USC Aiken 22-25,25-19,25-7,25-17

Francis Marion Univ. (20-6, 6-5) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Mitchell,

Amanda 13-0-4; Underhill, Ashlyn 12-1-2; Lombardi, Jessica 9-2-1;

Crook, Ashlee 5-1-1; Eggert, Mallory 5-0-3; Kaiser, Jenna 2-2-2;

Simpson, Caitlin 0-0-3; O'Leary, Jess 0-2-0; Legg, Hallie 0-1-0;

Totals 46-9-8.0. (Assists) - Kaiser, Jenna 37. (Dig leaders) - Deaton,

Kelsie 17; Lombardi, Jessica 14; O'Leary, Jess 13; Kaiser, Jenna 13

USC Aiken (15-11, 3-4) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Durham, Stefanie 9-0-1;

Marshall, Theo 7-0-0; Disney, Megan 6-1-2; MacClary, Susan 4-0-1;

Kight, Chelsey 4-0-1; Loper, Jessica 4-0-3; Cedeno, Lauren 2-1-0;

Tabbert, Whitney 0-1-0; Spice, Danielle 0-1-0; Totals 36-4-5.0.

(Assists) - Cedeno, Lauren 15; Tabbert, Whitney 14. (Dig leaders) -

Durham, Stefanie 26; Disney, Megan 13; Spice, Danielle 12; Tabbert,

Whitney 8

Site: Aiken, SC (Convocation Center)

Date: Nov 01, 2008   Attend: 75   Time: 2:00

Referees: