Box Score Box score
SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Despite career-high performances from four Wofford players, the Terriers fell in a heartbreaking five-set match, 3-2 (25-20, 24-26, 25-21, 21-25, 15-13), in their Southern Conference opener to Georgia Southern in Ben Johnson Arena Friday night.
The Terriers received career-highs from Wendy Burnett, Bekah Dorsey, Tara Gough and Reagan Styles. Burnett had 13 kills and 15 points for her new career-highs, and Dorsey matched her career-high in assists with 33 and set a new career-high with 19 digs for her sixth double-double of the season. Gough set a career-high with 23 assists, and Styles picked up 29 digs for a career best. Styles came up one dig short of joining the 30 dig club as the team collected a season-high 79 digs.
In the first set, Wofford held a narrow lead, before Georgia Southern tied the set at 12. The team teams traded points until the Eagles broke a 15-15 tie with 5-1 run to take a 20-16 lead. Georgia Southern held on to win the first set 25-20. Both teams had strong hitting performances in the with the Eagles holding a .385 to .351 margin.
Set two started with the two teams going back in a set that saw ten total ties. After tying the match up for the seventh time at 15-15 the Eagles took the largest lead of the set 22-19. However, Wofford would rally again behind the serve of Styles. Styles served four points with two service aces. When her run ended the Terriers trailed 23-22. Wofford tied the match on the next point with a block by Catelyn Amende and Rachel Woodlee. After an Eagle kill and a kill by Byrd tied the match at 24 Melissa Kearse delivered a critical service ace forcing a Georgia Southern timeout. After the timeout, another aggressive serve by Kearse forced the Eagles offense into a set error as the Terriers took the set 26-24. Sixteen of Styles 29 digs came in the first two sets as she collected eight digs a piece in each.
Georgia Southern started the third set with a 12-9 lead. However, Wofford would tie the set at 15 forcing the two teams into four ties over the next six points. With the score tied at 18 the Eagles went on a mini 3-0 run to take a 21-18 lead, but again, the Terriers rode Styles’ serve to tie the match at 21. Byrd and Amenda had two kills for the Terriers to tie the match. Wofford would only scratch out one more point as Georgia Southern took the set 25-22. Byrd tallied five kills to lead Wofford in the set. Wofford held a better hitting percentage in the third set .325-.310 and won the battle at the net with three team blocks to one team blocks, but the Eagles defense pulled up 20 digs to the Terriers’ 16 digs.
Facing the end of the match, Wofford broke an 8-8 tie with a 9-2 run to take a 17-10 lead. Wofford never slowed down in the set as they forced a decisive set five with a 25-21 set four win. Amende, Burnett and Byrd tallied four kills apiece. The Terriers hit a scorching .432 compared to the Eagles .344.
Georgia Southern never allowed Wofford into the final set as they lead wire-to-wire to finish the match with a 15-13 set five win. Both teams struggled in the fifth set, as the Terriers hit -.107 and the Eagles hit .042.
Amenda paced the Wofford offense with 14 kills and .306 hitting percentage. Burnett added her career-high 13, and Byrd followed with 12 kills. Amende also led the Terriers with six block assists. Styles added three service aces with her defensive performance.
Wofford will return to action against Davidson at 6:30 p.m. as part of the team’s eight-match SoCon homestand.
