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SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Senior Wendy Burnett hit .625 with 11 kills and four blocks and the Wofford volleyball team handled USC Upstate for its first win of the season, 3-1 (25-12, 20-25, 25-17, 25-18), Friday night at the Hampton Inn & Suites Spartan Classic from the G.B. Hodge Center.
 
Burnett was unstoppable on the attack, committing just one error the entire match with 11 kills on 16 total attempts. The senior middle blocker also rejected four Spartan attacks and had four aces to post 17.5 points on the night.
 
"I give a lot of credit to Bekah [Dorsey]," said Burnett, who ranks seventh all-time in career blocks with 275. "Her sets were really great tonight.
 
"We had a lot of communication and it really helped me. Everybody was communicating and letting me know what shot was open. The defense was giving me the line and it is my favorite shot so I took advantage."
 
Wofford (1-3) also had great performances from senior Amanda Liguori and junior Taylor Baird. Liguori registered her 25th career double-double by notching a match-high 16 kills and hitting .314 (16-5-35) to go along with 14 digs. Baird continued to impress with her third double-double of the season, going for 12 kills and 11 digs. Senior setter Bekah Dorsey dished out 36 assists and had 14 digs, putting together her 33rd career double-double to lead all active players.
 
The win makes the Terriers 6-1 against USC Upstate since the two teams joined NCAA Division I. Wofford hit .248 for the match, dominating USC Upstate (0-4) which hit just .064.
 
"I told the team that my goal, as a program, is to be hitting .235 and we exceeded that goal tonight," said head coach Ron Sweet, who earned his first victory as a NCAA Division I head coach to go along with his record of 321-47 (.872) at NJCAA Division II Kishwaukee College. "I was even more proud of holding Upstate to just .064, which I attribute to the fantastic defense we're playing. We're reading the setters well, setting up our blocks and playing around the opposing blocks."
 
The Terriers and Spartans dueled through a close first set before five straight points gave Wofford a clear 20-11 advantage. Upstate had no response and Baird's seven opening-set kills helped the Terriers cruise to a 13-point victory.
 
The second set was locked at 13-all midway through until Wofford took five of the next seven points for an 18-15 lead. Then, Upstate's Kelsey Bagwell went on a run, which included two aces, to help the Spartans score five straight points and take a late 23-20 lead. Two errors by the Terriers ended the set in favor of Upstate.
 
It was the only set Wofford surrendered on the night. Great defense and passing led by six of Jessica Graham's match-high 20 digs held Upstate at bay in the third. With the score 13-10, Graham served and helped Wofford go on a 6-0 run for a commanding 19-10 lead. Upstate only got as close as seven the rest of the set and sophomore Liz Buterbaugh put down the set winner as the Terriers took the third by eight.
 
Wofford used another huge run in the fourth to seal the victory. Tied at 14, Wofford took eight consecutive points on Liguori's serve and forced Upstate to use all of its timeouts. When the run was over, Wofford led 22-14 and freshman Ellie Tallman put the match away with the last of her seven kills.
 
The Wofford volleyball team continues the Hampton Inn & Suites Invitational Saturday, facing Georgia State at 2 p.m.
 
Terrier Notes
- Head Coach Ron Sweet earned his first victory at the NCAA Div. I level
- Liguori posted her 25th career double-double with 16 kills and 14 digs
- Dorsey posted her 33rd career double-double with 36 assists and 14 digs
- Baird marked her third double-double of the season and career with 12 kills and 11 digs
- Jessica Graham posted 20 digs, marking the first time a Terrier has gone for 20-plus digs since Reagan Styles on Oct. 26 of last season.