FLORENCE, SC – Senior libero Jessica Strader registered 20 digs and moved up one position to sixth on the all-time NCAA Division II digs list as Francis Marion University kept its Peach Belt Conference regular-season title hopes alive with a 30-25, 30-19, 26-30, 30-17 victory over Lander University, Saturday afternoon (Oct. 21) in women’s volleyball action.

FMU improves to 24-7 overall and 9-2 in the PBC, one game behind conference leader Armstrong Atlantic State University. The Patriots close their regular season Friday at AASU. Lander, which falls to 18-13 and 1-9, plays at Mars Hill College on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Strader upped her career digs total to 2,187 and passed Kory Langley of Pace University on the NCAA Division II list.

Senior Lezlie Logan led four Patriots with double digit kills as the Cleburne, Texas, native pounded out 16. With 1,836 career kills, she is only 70 shy of the all-time PBC record.

Sophomore Jessica Lombardi followed Logan with 14 kills and 13 digs, while Jackie Phiel tallied 13 kills and 10 digs and Allison Good had 12 kills. Sophomore setter Jenna Kaiser dished out 51 assists, served five aces, and dug out 13 balls.

Junior Andrea Griffin and sophomore Kerri Sorensen each compiled 12 kills to lead Lander. Freshman setter Jennifer Edwards handed out 46 assists and served four aces, while libero Melissa Trippany had 17 digs. Sophomore Maria Camps added a team-high 20 digs.

Lander surprised the Patriots by scoring the first eight points of the match behind the serving of Edwards. Trailing 10-2, Francis Marion rallied with a 27-9 run to lead 29-19. Lander ran off six consecutive points before FMU managed the winning side out. In game two, Francis Marion led nearly the entire way with Good serving out the final five points for a 30-19 win.

The Patriots held a 22-19 advantage in game three, but Lander rallied with an 11-4 run to close the game and force a fourth contest. Each of Francis Marion’s previous seven matches had been decided in three games. FMU broke an early 6-6 tie in game four with a 12-4 run and coasted to the 30-17 win.