DUE WEST, S.C. - - UVa-Wise volleyball concluded day one of the Fleet Classic with a pair of losses. The Cavaliers (0-3) lost to Francis Marion, 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-22) before falling to host institution Erskine College, 3-1 (25-12, 16-25, 25-23, 25-21) Friday evening.

In game one, senior Ciara Kain led the charge with 11 kills and two aces while sophomore Brooke Abbott posted seven kills and freshman Kelsey Green registered six kills for the Cavaliers. Sophomore setter Makayla Ledford added 25 assists while junior Morgan Milligan recorded 20 digs in the match.

UVa-Wise got off to a slow start in the first set, down 13-5 early. The Cavs rallied with an 8-2 run to put them within two points, 15-13. Francis Marion (3-3) would pick up its tempo scoring five consecutive points to take a 21-14 lead. Kain would score three more points for the Cavs before the Patriots took the set, 22-18.

The Cavs went ahead 11-7 in the second set before a four-point run by Francis Marion tied the set at 11-11. The Patriots would maintain the lead, going up 20-15 late in the set before earning a 25-17 second set win.

Francis Marion did not let up going into the third set as they took a 12-point advantage early, 17-5. Down by eight, UVa-Wise would rally to get within three points. The Cavs continued to push as they cut the deficit to two points late in the set, but the Patriots would go on to win the set, 25-22, as Francis Marion won the match in straight sets.

UVa-Wise finished game one with 29 kills, 28 assists, and five aces. The Patriots posted 36 kills and 34 assists in the match.

In the Cavs second match of the day, UVa-Wise fell behind by just two points in the first set before Erskine College (1-5) took off on a nine-point run to take a 20-9 advantage over the Cavs. The Flying Fleet would dominate set one winning by a score of 25-12.

The Cavs regained composure in the second set as they pushed to a 20-14 lead over Erskine. Registering a .500 hitting percentage in the set for the Cavs, a kill by Kain would put it away as UVa-Wise earned a 25-16 victory in set two.

UVa-Wise battled in a close third set as the Cavs opened with a 9-5 advantage over Erskine, but the Flying Fleet would climb back to tie the set at 10-10. The two teams would knot the set three more times before UVa-Wise jumped ahead by two points, 21-19. Ledford would score late to put the Cavs only down by one point, but another kill by the Flying Fleet would allow them to win the set, 25-23.

The Cavs continued to rally into the fourth set with an Erskine error and a pair of kills by freshman Matelyn Gibson cutting the deficit to one point for UVa-Wise, 16-15. The teams would continue to exchange points as Erskine walked away with a 25-21 set four win and a 3-1 defeat of the Cavs.

Kain finished with a double-double of 12 kills and 12 digs followed by Green who posted nine kills in the match. Ledford notched 32 assists for the Cavs while Milligan tallied 19 digs.

Volleyball will return to action tomorrow in day two of the Fleet Classic Volleyball Tournament. First serve for game one against Lander University is scheduled for 11 a.m.