Box Score

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford volleyball team dropped a 3-2 decision to the visiting Phoenix of Elon on Saturday night inside the Benjamin Johnson Arena. Elon took the match on set scores of 25-19, 18-25, 28-26, 29-31 and 15-13.

Wofford (15-15, 5-10 SoCon) fell behind early in set one by four but was able to get within one a 12-11 after a Joanna Suddath service ace. Elon responded by winning six of the next seven points to take a comfortable lead en route to taking the opening set.

Set two started off very similar, however the Terriers jumped out to an early 5-1 lead. Wofford would continue to build on the lead throughout going up by as many as seven. The Phoenix made a late push at the end but the Terrier lead was never overtaken as they took set two to square the match.

Elon (18-13, 7-8 SoCon) would start off just like set one taking an early advantage in set three. Trailing 16-12, the Terriers were able to string together two extended runs to knot the set at 20. Both teams would continue to hold serve and fight off set points until Elon eventually put back-to-back points together to take the two set to one lead.

In set four, the Terriers jumped out to a commanding 14-7 margin and continued to extend the lead. Trailing 24-20, Elon put together a four point run to even the set at 24. Once again, both teams battled back and forth holding serve until a kill by Lindsey Richardson set up set point for the Terriers in which Hughes capped off with another kill.

The fifth and deciding set stayed even until the score was tied at seven. With the score knotted, a questionable call awarded a point to Elon in which they would use to swing momentum.    Elon would create a 10-7 advantage but the Terriers responded winning the next five points to take a 12-11 edge. Tied at 13, back-to-back Elon kills gave the Phoenix the win.

The Terrier offense was led by Liz Sheets who hit .417 and tallied 12 kills and committed just two errors. Hughes had a match high 23 kills while Stacy Byrd and Richardson both reached double digits in kills with 18 and 15, respectively. Suddath also chipped in three kills to go along with 63 assists.

Brittany Thompson led the Terrier defense with 44 digs while Sheets added five total blocks. Four other Terriers reached double digits in digs with Byrd adding 18, Suddath 14, Hughes 14 and Carolyn Rivers 13.

Caroline Lemke led the Phoenix offense with 22 kills while Emily Regan added 50 assists. On the defensive side, Lauren Copenhagen had 29 digs and Lizzie West added 24.

The Terriers will be back in action tomorrow against UNC Greensboro at 2 p.m. inside the Benjamin Johnson arena. Prior to the match, the volleyball team will honor its four departing seniors.