PEMBROKE, N.C. – The Erskine College women's volleyball team (5-8, 2-2 CC) split a two-match weekend road trip in conference play. The Fleet began the weekend by defeating by Francis Marion University (2-10, 1-2 CC) in four sets at the Smith University Center on Friday evening. Then, Erskine was defeated by UNC Pembroke (5-9, 2-2 CC) in straight sets on Saturday.

MATCH 1 STAT LEADERS at Francis Marion (3-1 FINAL, 25-17, 26-24, 21-25, 25-23)
KILLS: Ryleigh Taylor (17)
ACES: Ryleigh Taylor (3)
BLOCKS: Ali Angell (3), Kimmy Stiltner (3)
ASSISTS: Brenna Williams (24)
DIGS: Mahayla Law (19)

HOW IT HAPPENED
After the effects of Hurricane Helene caused the Fleet to go 10 days without a game, Erskine went on the road for two big conference matches, and Ali Angell started Friday evening with a kill on the match's first point. The Fleet never trailed in the opening set, and consecutive kills from Ryleigh Taylor, Ella Dietrich, and Ali Angell led to nine set points, which the Fleet eventually converted to take a 1-0 lead. The Fleet started slow in Set 2, trailing by as many as seven points. But, Erskine battled back behind a pair of kills from Taylor and a serving run from Astyn Casey to get within two. However, FMU responded with 5-0 spurt a few points later and Erskine saw itself facing a six-point deficit again, 21-15. Two Becca Yohe kills and a Taylor ace helped Erskine claw back into the set, but the Fleet faced a 24-20 deficit and four FMU set points. A block by Angell and Kimmy Stiltner on set point number one led to a Brenna Williams ace and another Taylor kill to get Erskine within a point. Still facing another FMU set point, Yohe and Stiltner combined to come up with a huge block to tie the set. On the next point, Stiltner was at it again, this time combining with Alexis Waddy and suddenly the Fleet had a lead and a set point of their own. On Erskine's set point, a bad FMU set sealed a remarkable rally as the Fleet took a commanding 2-0 lead in the match by winning each of the final six points of Set 2. Taylor continued her outstanding night in Set 3, tallying four kills and an ace, but the Patriots led for most of the set and avoided the sweep. Set 4 was a back-and-forth affair throughout with neither side gaining a sizeable advantage. Then, Taylor added three more kills in quick succession and freshman Mahayla Law mixed in an ace as part of a 5-1 scoring run for the Fleet to take a 20-17 lead in the set. After FMU won the next two points, Angell and Dietrich combined for a huge block to help the Fleet win back some momentum. Again, the Patriots responded and got within a point, but Yohe answered with a much-needed kill. Setter Ailena Mykins then added a rare kill, setting up three match points for Erskine. FMU held off the Fleet for the first two, but Yohe sealed the win on match point number three with her 11th kill of the night as the Fleet earned their first road conference win of the season.

THE PLAYER
Senior outside hitter Ryleigh Taylor totaled 17 kills on an impressive .314 hitting percentage, while also adding in three aces and 12 digs. The 17 kills and 3 aces are both career-highs for the Pendleton native, who recorded her third career double-double.

THE TEAM
Erskine hit .200 (57 K / 23 E / 170 TA) for the match, while holding Francis Marion to a .180 hitting percentage. The Fleet also held an 8 to 5 advantage in the ace department, as five different Erskine players tallied an ace.

MATCH 2 STAT LEADERS at UNC Pembroke (0-3 FINAL, 17-25, 15-25, 22-25)
KILLS: Becca Yohe (9)
ACES: Ailena Mykins (2)
BLOCKS: Becca Yohe (3)
ASSISTS: Brenna Williams (8)
DIGS: Mahayla Law (14)

THE TEAM
Erskine hit just .061 (21 K / 14 E / 115 TA) for the match, while UNCP tallied a .250 hitting percentage.

WHAT'S NEXT? 
Erskine returns home for a conference battle with Belmont Abbey College (5-8, 3-1 CC) on Wednesday at 6 p.m. The teams have split their last 4 meetings, but Erskine was beaten by the Crusaders in four sets in Belmont last season.

MORE ABOUT THE ERSKINE COLLEGE FLYING FLEET

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