Gabby Wessels
Senior Gabby Wessels tallied 31 digs for the Saints in their early morning matchup against Francis Marion.
1
Limestone LU 1-2
3
Winner Francis Marion FMU 3-4
Limestone LU
1-2
1
Final
3
Francis Marion FMU
3-4
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Limestone LU 14 18 26 18 (1)
Francis Marion FMU 25 25 24 25 (3)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | | Ernest Meyers, Assistant A.D. for Media Relations

Limestone Women’s Volleyball Drops Nonconference Match to FMU

AIKEN, S.C. – The Limestone University women's volleyball team attempted to dig out of a 2-0 hole by winning the third set but would ultimately drop a nonconference billing to Francis Marion University, 3-1, in the third match of the weekend at the Pacer Invitational hosted by USC Aiken early Saturday morning.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Francis Marion 3, Limestone 1
Set Scores: 25-14, 25-18, 24-26, 25-18  
Records: Francis Marion (3-4), Limestone (1-2)
Location: USC Aiken Convocation Center
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 
  • Senior Gabby Wessels (Watseka, Ill.) finished with 31 digs and three assists
  • Senior Bailey Carpenter (Lawrenceville, Ga.) added 15 digs to go with a pair of assists
  • Sophomore Malina Harris (Mooresville, N.C.) tallied 14 assists, eight digs, and two service aces
  • Freshman Paige Gardella (Sugar Grove, Ill.) logged 14 assists, eight digs, and a pair of aces
  • Senior Vanessa Blas (Concord, N.C.) finished with eight kills, five digs, and an ace
  • Senior Sydney Bibby (Cumming, Ga.) led the team with nine kills and tacked on a solo block
  • Sophomore Kasey Thacker (Rome, Ga.) chipped in five kills and three solo blocks
  • Limestone had 32 attacking errors for a .041 attacking percentage
  • Francis Marion finished with 23 attack errors for a .124 attacking percentage
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Set
 
The Patriots stormed out of the gates early Saturday morning with an 11-2 run before a kill by Bibby snapped the offensive drought, sparking a 6-4 counterattack. Bibby added another attack, Blas recorded two kills, and Gardella dropped in a service ace during that stretch to pull Limestone to within 15-8.
 
That momentum was short-lived, however, as Francis Marion scored five of the next six points to increase the lead to 20-9, essentially putting the set out of reach. Senior Madyson Lousignont (Las Vegas, Nev.) started a 5-2 mini-run with a kill, but FMU would tallying the final three points to take the first set, 25-14.
 
Second Set
 
Francis Marion got off to a fast start once again in the second set, racing out to an 8-3 advantage, but the Saints quickly countered with a 9-3 spurt to take their first lead of the day, 12-11. Thacker tallied a pair of kills during that run while Harris found an opening for a service ace as part of a 4-0 surge for Limestone.
 
The Patriots regained the lead with two straight points, but an attack by Blas pulled the Blue and Gold even at 14-all a few moments later. The Saints were not able to jump back in front though as FMU used two different 5-0 runs down the final stretch to take a commanding 2-0 lead with a set two victory, 25-18.
 
Third Set
 
Unlike the first two sets, it was Limestone that drew first blood on a kill from Blas before an attack by freshman Josie Curran (Westerville, Ohio) doubled up the Patriots, 4-2, in the early going. Francis Marion would answer with a long 16-3 stretch over the next several minutes though, opening up an 18-7 cushion.
 
Just when it looked as if the Saints would go down in straight sets, a kill by Blas set in motion a remarkable run as the Blue and Gold closed out the frame with an impressive 19-6 span to force an extra set. Blas totaled three kills during the decisive spurt while attacks by Thacker, Curran, Bibby, Lousignont, and senior Calleen Soper (Morris, Ill.) each helped Limestone rally from an 11-point deficit to win 26-24.
 
 Fourth Set
 
Despite spotting Limestone the first point of the fourth set on a kill from Thacker, Francis Marion quickly took a 10-3 advantage and would pull ahead 13-7 at the midway point. Thacker helped keep the Saints in the set early on with back-to-back blocks while the Blue and Gold took advantage of three Patriot errors.
 
Three kills from Soper highlighted a 5-3 mini-run that trimmed the margin to 16-12, but Francis Marion quickly jumped back in front by six. The Saints made one final push as Bibby powered a 6-3 spurt to make it 21-18, but FMU closed the door on another potential comeback with a 4-0 run to take the match.
 
TURNING POINT
 
The Patriots used long scoring runs early and often to jump out to a 2-0 match lead, and it appeared that they would sweep the Saints with a commanding lead in the third set. Limestone would mount a furious comeback in the third frame, but Francis Marion was able to keep the Blue and Gold at bay in the fourth.
 
NOTABLES
 
  • Saturday's matchup was the first between Limestone and Francis Marion since the 2010 season
  • The Saints never finished above .100 in attack percentage in any of the four sets played
  • The Patriots registered 14 service aces in the morning session as compared to five for Limestone
  • Soper and Lousignont each registered five kills for the Saints
 
UP NEXT
 
Limestone brings its opening weekend to a close as it takes on rival Belmont Abbey College in the fourth and final match of the Pacer Invitational later today.
 
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