GREENVILLE, S.C. – Chandler Parker and Genevieve Perry both had a career high 14 kills on Saturday afternoon to pace the Furman volleyball team to a 3-1 (23-25, 25-16, 25-15, 25-14) victory over the Charlotte 49ers in the final match of the Furman Invite at Alley Gymnasium.

Furman collects its first win of the 2024 campaign and improves to 1-2 overall. With the loss, Charlotte drops to 1-2 overall.

The Paladins saw four players reach double figure kills led by Parker and Perry, who were both named to the Furman Invite All-Tournament Team. Ava Augustson contributed 11 kills and Lindsay Walch 10. Mary Beth Headley fell just shy of a double-double after finishing with nine kills and a match high 15 digs. Emily Navarro registered 26 assists and nine digs while Quinn Morrissey, who was making her collegiate debut, totaled 18 assists and eight digs. Kennedy Seekford recorded 13 digs.

Kristen Birmingham led the 49ers with 12 kills and Jessica Ricks contributed 11. Lauren Nixon tallied a double-double of 15 assists and a team best 12 digs. Maddie Stuesser had a team high 18 assists.

Furman quickly fell behind 7-1 to start the first set before rallying back with a 16-9 run to go ahead 17-16. Parker gave the Paladins a 20-18 lead before Charlotte responded with a 6-1 run to sit at set point leading 24-21. Furman got to within one point, 24-23, before the 49ers captured the set on the following play.

The Paladins compiled a .421 hitting percentage in the second set with Parker and Walch combining for nine of the team's 19 kills. Furman started by scoring five of the first six points and used a 12-6 run to break the set open midway. Charlotte had cut the Paladins' lead to 7-5 before the run extended their lead out to 19-11 and was capped by Headley's kill. Parker and Izzy Castelloe secured the set with back-to-back kills.

For the second straight set, Furman excelled offensively after hitting .395 overall and Perry collected seven kills. Behind the serving of Headley, the Paladins reeled off a 13-1 run to close out the frame. Furman trailed 14-12 midway before recording 12 consecutive points to lead 24-14. After a Paladin service error ended the run, Perry clinched the set with her kill.

Furman hit over .400 again in the fourth set with six different players picking up a kill, including four from Perry while hitting .800. The Paladins held an early 5-2 lead until a service error put the 49ers within two points at 6-4. Furman answered with a 10-5 run and held a 16-9 advantage on a kill from Grainne McGrath. Charlotte got as close as three points, 17-14, before the Paladins ended the set, and match, scoring eight consecutive points. Following a 49er timeout, Furman benefitted from three attack errors and a bad set while Headley contributed a service ace and Perry a kill.

The Paladins concluded the contest hitting .348 as a team and led 10.0-8.0 in blocks. Furman also held a 65-43 advantage in kills, 57-40 in assists, and 58-49 in digs.

The Paladins travel to Spartanburg on Wednesday, September 4 to face USC Upstate at 6 p.m.