Patriots fall to Jaguars on Senior Day
FLORENCE, SC - Augusta State University overcame a Senior Day rally by Francis Marion University with a devastating fourth game as the Jaguars claimed a 25-21, 25-22, 14-25, 25-16 Peach Belt Conference win, Saturday afternoon (Oct. 31) in women's volleyball action.
ASU (21-10, 8-5) recorded 16 kills, committed no attack errors, in 35 swings in the decisive fourth game. Senior middle blocker Jessica Howard served the final six points of the match after FMU had closed the gap to 18-16.
Francis Marion (11-16, 3-8) was led by sophomore Amanda Mitchell with 15 kills and sophomore Ashlyn Underhill with 13 kills and 14 digs. Junior middle blocker Mallory Eggert added 10 kills and five blocks.
Senior setter Jess O'Leary, playing her final home match for FMU, handed out a season-high 43 assists and dug up 14 balls, while senior middle blocker Caitlin Simpson tallied five kills and three blocks. With her effort, O'Leary surpassed 1,400 career assists during the match.
Junior libero Kelsie Deaton added 20 digs for the Patriots.
Howard paced the Jaguars with 18 kills, nine digs, and five blocks. Sophomore Lagi Roberts registered nine kills and a team-high 19 digs, while sophomore setter Ashley Zappitell compiled 42 assists and 12 digs.
FMU will play at UNC Pembroke on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
ASU scored the final three points of the first game (capped by a Lindsey Weider service ace) after the Patriots had knotted the score at 20-20. FMU trailed only 23-22 in game two only to fall 25-22. Francis Marion recorded 15 kills and only one attack error in a near-perfect game three-win sending the match to a fourth game.
Augusta State def. Francis Marion Univ. 25-21,25-22,14-25,25-16
Augusta State (21-10 , 8-5) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Howard, Jessica 18-1-5; Roberts, Lagi 9-1-1; Hanson, Jessica 7-0-5; Irizarry, Mandy 5-0-0; Meyer, Dianna 5-0-1; Zappitell, Ashley 4-1-2; Childress, Tarah 3-2-0; Lowther, Chase 1-0-0; Weider, Lindsey 1-2-0; Totals 53-7-8.0. (Assists) - Zappitell, Ashley 42. (Dig leaders) - Roberts, Lagi 19; Meyer, Dianna 16; Weider, Lindsey 16; Zappitell, Ashley 12; Howard, Jessica 9
Francis Marion Univ. (11-16 . 3-8) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Mitchell, Amanda 15-0-2; Underhill, Ashlyn 13-0-3; Eggert, Mallory 10-1-5; Crook, Ashlee 5-0-1; Simpson, Caitlin 5-0-3; O'Leary, Jess 1-2-1; Drewry, Liz 1-3-0; Totals 50-6-8.0. (Assists) - O'Leary, Jess 43. (Dig leaders) - Deaton, Kelsie 20; Underhill, Ashlyn 14; O'Leary, Jess 14; Legg, Hallie 13; Drewry, Liz 10
Site: Florence, SC (Smith Univ. Center) Date: Oct 31, 2009 Attend: 71 Time: 1:48 Referees: Gayle Hughes, Darryl Buck Peach Belt Conference match Liberos: Deaton (FMU), Weider (ASU)
Jess O'Leary Caitlin Simpson
