Franklin women's volleyball lost to Bluffton in three close sets last season. The Grizzlies made sure to flip the script on Saturday afternoon.

A dominant first set established a winning mood on the way to a 25-11, 25-22, 26-24 victory at the Spurlock Center. It was Franklin's first conference win since Oct. 28, 2023.

"We came out early and set the tone that we were going to play with energy and intensity," Griz coach Dillon Taylor said.

The opening set was tied at 5-5 when Franklin (11-9, 1-0 HCAC) scored 11 of the next 12 points to pull away. Back-to-back kills by Kaitlyn Lowes and a Hope Moring service ace punctuated that decisive run.

In the second, the Grizzlies saw the Beavers trim a 16-9 deficit all the way to 22-21 before kills from Lauren Kinsey and Moring helped create some needed separation.

Franklin trailed 24-23 in a back-and-forth third set but responded by scoring the final three points on a McKenzie Schroeder kill sandwiched between two Bluffton miscues.

Moring paced the Grizzlies with 11 kills, while Lowes, Kinsey and Schroeder added six apiece.

"Hope and Kenzie continue to be great on the left side," Taylor said. "We made a lot of plays at the net that won't show up in the box score but were huge in keeping us in a rhythm."

Campbell Clark paced the back line with 15 digs, including the 1,000th of her career.

"She's fought through some injury stuff the last year or so, so we are so proud that she continues to work for her team," Taylor said of Clark.

Having now won six of their last eight, the Grizzlies will return to action at Anderson next Friday (Oct. 10).