SCORE
Francis Marion 3, Montevallo 0 (22-25, 21-25, 21-25)
RECORDS
Montevallo (19-12 overall, 10-7 in Peach Belt Conference)
Francis Marion (15-13 overall, 8-9 in Peach Belt Conference)
LOCATION
Smith University Center (Florence, S.C.)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Francis Marion swept the Falcons 3-0 after edging Montevallo in three hard-fought sets.
The Patriots held off the Falcons down the stretch for a 25-22 win in the opening set. Montevallo took a 11-9 lead early in the frame following a kill by senior Rebekah Phelps before a 6-0 run by Francis Marion quickly took the momentum away from the Falcons. A kill by Caroline Boone solidified the Patriots' 25-22 win in the frame.
Francis Marion took an early lead and never trailed as they topped the Falcons 25-21 in the second set. The Patriots opened the frame with a 3-0 run and led by as many as eight points down the stretch following a kill by Alexzandra Reed, which gave Francis Marion a 18-10 advantage. The Falcons trimmed the deficit to 23-20 following a kill by junior Chandler Cooper, but the Patriots managed to hold off Montevallo for a 25-21 win in the set.
The Falcons led throughout the early stages of the third set before a 8-3 run by Francis Marion helped the Patriots pull off a sweep with a 25-21 win in the frame. Montevallo took a 14-10 lead, its largest lead in any of the three sets, following a service ace by Phelps. The Patriots' 8-3 run, capped with a service ace by Reed, gave Francis Marion a 19-17 advantage. A kill by Phelps tied the set at 21-21 before a 4-0 run by the Patriots clinched the 25-21 win in the set and the sweep for Francis Marion.
STAT OF THE GAME
Francis Marion finished with a hitting percentage of .300 or better in each of the three sets, marking the first time an opponent has achieved the feat against the Falcons this season.
BEYOND THE NUMBERS
Senior Briana Marquez registered her ninth double-double of the season after contributing a team-high 29 assists to go along with 11 digs.
The 3-0 victory by Francis Marion marked just the third time this season the Falcons have been swept by an opponent. It marked the first time Montevallo failed to win a set in a match in a span of 24 matches.
UP NEXT
The Falcons will close out the regular season Saturday, Nov. 14 with a Peach Belt Conference match on the road at UNC Pembroke in Pembroke, North Carolina. First serve is set for 12 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Central.
