NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The UNC Pembroke volleyball team hit .191 from the net and registered eight blocks to fuel a 3-2 (21-25, 22-25, 25-23, 25-19, 17-15) reverse sweep over Francis Marion on Thursday evening inside the North Charleston Athletic Center.
The Braves (16-17) have now won their last five matches and snapped a two-game skid against Francis Marion. The Patriots (16-13) snapped a two-game winning streak and fall to 0-6 on the season when playing at neutral sites.
Francis Marion took an early 6-1 lead in the opening set, but UNC Pembroke put together a 6-2 surge to work its deficit back to 8-7 following a kill from Ruby Countryman. The Patriots hit .217 from the net and used a 6-1 run to push their lead out to 18-12, but a kill from McKenna Hayes kept the Braves in the set trailing 21-16. UNCP fended off four match points, but an ill-timed error gave FMU the opening set, 25-21.
A UNCP attack error gave FMU a 10-4 advantage in the second set, but the Braves rattled off a 10-2 run to lead 14-12. The Patriots outscored the Braves 10-6 to take a slight 22-20 advantage on a service ace, but UNC Pembroke knotted the score at 22 capped off with a Katelynn Swain kill. Francis Marion scored the final three points of the set to win 25-22 and take a two set lead.
Francis Marion got another quick start in the third set and used a 7-2 surge to lead 14-9 midway through the third set after a kill from Chaney Barth. UNCP continued to chip away at its deficit, but FMU capitalized on an attack error from the Braves to lead 23-18. UNC Pembroke hit .217 from the net and won the final seven points of the set to take set three, 25-23.
An Abby Peduzzi kill gave the Braves a 10-8 fourth-set advantage but the Patriots would eventually to the score at 15 following a UNCP attack error. UNC Pembroke hit .279 from the net and went on a 7-0 run to lead 22-15 following a kill from Savannah Whaley. The Braves picked up a kill from Tyler Patterson to win the set 25-19 and send the match to a deciding fifth set.
Patterson and Countryman teamed up for a block to give the Braves a slight 6-4 lead in the fifth set, but the Patriots won the next three points to lead 7-6 after a Caroline Lucas kill. UNCP picked up kills from Whaley and Peduzzi to give the Braves match point, but an ill-timed attack error tied the score at 14. UNC Pembroke hit .310 from the net and won three out of the final four points to win the set 17-15 and seal the match.
Hayes had 13 kills and three blocks for UNCP, Precious Daley had 11 kills, Whaley had 11 kills with three blocks and two aces, Patterson had 52 assists and 23 digs, Peduzzi had 24 digs, Brette Doile had 20 digs and Countryman had three blocks.
The Braves will now play Mount Olive in the Conference Carolinas Tournament semifinals on Friday. First serve is slated for 7:30 p.m. inside the North Charleston Athletic Center.
Braves relay team breaks school record at Fall Frenzy
The UNC Pembroke swimming team kicked off action at the Fall Frenzy on Thursday evening when the 800-yard Freestyle Relay team broke the school record with a time of 7:39.72.
After one event, the Braves are in ninth place with 28 points.
The relay team of Fabiana Pesce, Sofia Pereira, Fatima Portillo and Britta Schwengle placed 13th in the event and broke the event record set in 2021.
The Black & Gold will be back in action on Friday for the second day of the Fall Frenzy.