FLORENCE, S.C. – The UNC Pembroke volleyball team took sets two and three away from Francis Marion, but the Braves struggled in the fifth six as the Patriots proved to be too much for the Black and Gold, 3-2, in Peach Belt Conference action on Saturday afternoon in the Smith University Center. 

The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for UNCP (8-9, 0-4 PBC), while Francis Marion (4-8, 2-2) has won the last two of its three matches. The set scores were 21-25, 25-16, 25-23, 13-25 and 10-15.

Junior Nicole Mathews tallied a double-double with 13 kills and 21 digs, while sophomore Sabrina Gonzalez finished the game with 38 assists and 13 digs. Libero Ka'asha Jefferies carried a team-best 22 digs in UNCP's effort to out-dig the Patriots 73-60. Jada Vernon and Caroline Pridgen were just one kill shy of double-digit kills, as Mathews and Mallory Davis each were behind a trio of block assists.

The Patriots used a 5-0 run in the opening set following a 15-15 score to go up 1-0, until UNCP lead from start to finish in set two for to tie up the game 1-1. The Braves rallied from a late 22-19 score after trailing for a majority of the third set, but claimed a 6-1 run to take the 2-1 set advantage.

In set four, Francis Marion broke an early 4-4 tie and used a 15-5 run to send the game to a fifth set. Finally in the fifth set, UNCP scored the opening point on a kill by Cecilia Brandon, but the Patriots answered with three straight points to take the lead and finish with the 3-2 victory.

UNCP out-hit the Patriots in the first, second and third sets, but a .609 hitting percentage and .353 hitting percentage by Francis Marion in the fourth and final set allowed the Patriots to end the game with 57 kills compared to UNCP's 51.

Alexzandra Reed posted a game-high 22 kills and 11 digs, while two other posted double digit kills. 

The Braves will return to the English E. Jones Center on Wednesday to take on Armstrong State (10-1, 5-0) in PBC play in Pembroke with the match set to begin at 7 p.m.