Box Score Box Score (pdf)
 
ORANGEBURG, S.C. – The Wofford College volleyball team took care of business Tuesday evening, traveling to Dukes Gymnasium in Orangeburg and defeating South Carolina State, 3-0 (25-17, 25-16, 25-15).
 
The win makes it two in a row for Wofford (5-6), while South Carolina State (0-10) begins the season with 10 straight losses, falling in 30 consecutive sets.
 
"I thought we played very well tonight," head coach Ron Sweet said. "I thought our serving was on and we kept [SC State] from getting into a rhythm and playing their game."
 
The Terriers entered the match ranked among the top 25 in the NCAA in aces per set (1.8), adding to that total with 13 aces in three sets (4.3). More importantly, Wofford hit at a positive ratio with only 10 errors.
 
Senior Amanda Liguori, junior Taylor Baird and freshman Ellie Tallman led the attack. Liguori hit a match-high .571 with nine kills and a single error on 14 total attempts. The outside hitter bumped herself up to No. 9 in Wofford history, totaling 1,009 career kills and surpassing Courtney Howe's mark of 1,001. Baird went for double-digit kills for the ninth time this season, posting a match-high 10 while hitting .200 (10-4-27) on the evening. The Blythewood, S.C., native added five aces for a match-high 15 points. Tallman tied her season-high of nine kills and hit an impressive .316 (9-3-19).
 
Senior Wendy Burnett continued to up her hitting percentage, attacking at a .500 rate (6-1-10). Burnett went into the match ranked second all-time at Wofford in career hitting percentage.
 
On defense, sophomore libero Jessica Graham went for 20 digs, marking the third match this season she has come away with 20 or more. Baird added six digs.
 
Baird got it going from the onset, putting down the match's very first point with a kill. SC State went on a mini-rally to take a 4-2 lead, but Wofford closed the gap immediately to jump ahead 6-5. Wofford went on a 6-1 run to force SCSU to call its first timeout and the Terriers would not trail for the rest of the set or at any other point in the match. The Bulldogs got as close as four at 18-14, but Wofford went on a 7-3 run to end the set.
 
Liguori got the ball rolling in the second set, putting down the first two points with a pair of kills to give the Terriers the immediate advantage. The big run came with the score 10-7, sparked by a pair of Tallman aces. SCSU used a timeout after a 7-1 run put it down 16-8, and the Bulldogs only got as close as six before Wofford used a pair of kills to end the second set by nine.
 
The Terriers used the third set to hit at their highest percentage of the match, attacking at a .360 clip with 11 kills and two errors to close out the sweep. Tallman led the way with four kills and Wofford put its foot down by scoring the first four points of the set. It was all but over with Wofford ahead 19-10 and senior Lucy Reser gave the Terriers their biggest lead with the final point and kill of the match.
 
The Wofford volleyball team competes this Friday and Saturday at the Wildcat Classic hosted by the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz. The Terriers are scheduled to play UC Santa Barbara, Arizona and Loyola (Md.).
 
Terrier Notes
            - Liguori moved up to ninth place all-time at Wofford in career kills with 1,009, passing Courtney Howe (1,001).
            - Wofford has won back-to-back matches in three sets.
            - Baird posted her ninth double-digit kill match of the season.
            - Graham posted her third 20-plus dig match of the season.
            - Wofford improves to 5-1 against SCSU in Division I play.