AIKEN, S.C. – Sophomore Michelle Settergren and junior Lezlie Logan combined for 25 kills and 10 blocks to lead Francis Marion University over USC Aiken 30-25, 30-17, 25-30, 30-16 in Peach Belt Conference women's volleyball action on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 5).

Francis Marion concludes its regular season with a 26-10 overall mark and a 10-2 PBC record.  The 26 victories are the most for the Patriots since 1998, and the second-place finish in the conference is the team's highest since 1999.  USCA is now 15-13 and 7-5, as the Lady Pacers were defeated on Senior Day. 

FMU will enter next weekend’s PBC Tournament in Augusta, Ga., as the second seed, while USC Aiken will be seeded fourth.  The tournament begins on Friday (Nov. 11).

Settergren recorded a season-high 14 kills to go with two blocks and a .481 hitting percentage. Logan added 11 kills and eight blocks.  Freshman setter Jenna Kaiser registered 45  assists, two service aces, five kills, and 11 digs.  Sophomore libero Jessica Strader chipped in with a match-high 22 digs, her 13th match this season with at least 20 digs. 

Sophomore Mandy Gerolstein led USCA with 17 kills, four blocks, and one service ace, while hitting .375. Junior Laura Williams added 13 kills and five blocks, while senior setter Rachel Dalitz dished out 49 assists to go with two aces, 11 digs, and three blocks in her final home appearance.

Both teams built multi-point leads midway through game one, with the sixth tie of the contest coming at 18-18. Five straight points by the Patriots off the serve of Kaiser, however, broke open the game 23-18, as FMU went on for the 30-25 win. 

Francis Marion hit .324 compared to the Lady Pacers' .095 in game two to cruise to the 30-17 win.  Already in front 19-12, six kills in an 8-1 run squashed any chance of a Lady Pacer rally. 

USC Aiken's attack finally got cranked up in game three as they opened hot to the tune of a 9-3 advantage.  Francis Marion pulled to within a single point at 16-15, before a decisive 7-2 spurt capped by a pair of Stefanie Durham service aces made it 23-17 as USCA won 30-25.

In game four, following an attack error, the Patriots scored five straight points out of the gate and never looked back, pulling away to the 30-16 win. 

FMU hit .248 and tallied 12.0 blocks, while USCA was held to a .139 hitting percentage and 9.0 team blocks. 

Short Box Score (Match)
Francis Marion Univ. vs USC Aiken (Nov 05, 2005 at Aiken, S.C.)
Francis Marion Univ. def. USC Aiken 30-25,30-17,25-30,30-16
 
Francis Marion Univ. (26-10, 10-2 PBC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Settergren, Michelle 14-0-2; Logan, Lezlie 11-1-8; Bartlett, Jessica 9-0-4; Feber, Kelly 9-0-2; Phiel, Jackie 7-0-2; Kaiser, Jenna 5-2-2; Strader, Jessica 1-2-0; Matthews, Rachael 0-1-0; Totals 56-6-12.0. (Assists) - Kaiser, Jenna 45. (Dig leaders) - Strader, Jessica 22; Feber, Kelly 17; Phiel, Jackie 11; Kaiser, Jenna 11; Matthews, Rachael 10.
 
USC Aiken (15-13, 7-5 PBC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Gerolstein, Mandy 17-1-4; Williams, Laura 13-0-5; Deardorff, Missy 9-0-6; Durham, Stefanie 7-2-0; Baker, Katie 6-1-0; Dalitz, Rachel 4-2-3; Jackson, Keri 2-0-0; Timm, Amanda 1-0-0; Spice, Danielle 0-1-0; Totals 59-7-9.0. (Assists) - Dalitz, Rachel 49. (Dig leaders) - Dalitz, Rachel 11; Johnson, Hayden 11; Deardorff, Missy 10; Durham, Stefanie 10; Timm, Amanda 10; Spice, Danielle 10. 
 
Site: Aiken, S.C. (The Courthouse)
Date: Nov 05, 2005   Attend: 70  Time: 1:55