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By: Stephen Williams

FLORENCE, S.C. – In the season's final contest, the Columbus State University team fell in straight sets 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-20) at Francis Marion on Saturday. The Peach Belt Conference match was played in the Smith University Center in Florence, S.C.
 
Freshmen Abby King and Savannah Miller led the Lady Cougars with eight kills on the afternoon. Cori Ehmen finished with 27 assists and Caytlin Merritt tallied 11 digs.
 
Columbus State (5-25, 2-16 PBC) found itself on the wrong end of a 7-3 score to start the opening set. Megan Frame would earn a side out for CSU with one of her six kills, starting a 5-0 run. Frame and Ehmen teamed together for back-to-back blocks to keep the spurt going.
 
The Lady Cougars continued to hang around and tied the set up at 18 behind a kill from King. Francis Marion (16-13, 9-9) closed the set on a 7-2 run winning the final three points to take the 1-0 lead.
 
FMU dominated the second set from the start, putting together an early 8-0 run to open up a 10-1 advantage. Columbus State battled its way back within five at 17-12, but would get no closer as the Patriots took a two-set lead.
 
The third set saw the Lady Cougars use an extended run to take the lead. Trailing 11-7, Columbus State turned in six straight points to move out in front 13-11.
 
Francis Marion would right the ship after a timeout though, answering back with an 11-3 run to go ahead 22-16 and all but wrapped up the victory.
 
The loss marks the end of the 2015 season for Columbus State.