SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford volleyball team began a crucial week of Southern Conference play with a four-set loss to UNC-Greensboro (26-24, 21-25, 22-25, 18-25) Wednesday night at Benjamin Johnson Arena.
 
Wofford gutted out the first set. After leading 18-11, the Terriers fell behind 24-23. A Wofford block saved set point and freshman Jen Espenschied served back-to-back aces for a thrilling 26-24 win.
 
UNCG leveled the match with five of the final seven points in the second. Tied at a set apiece in the third, UNCG's Vicky Harley took over. The Spartan setter went for five kills on six attempts in the third set alone, leading Greensboro to its first lead of the match.
 
In the fourth, the visitors jumped ahead 10-4 and never trailed. A 4-0 run which included two Harley kills made it 18-10 before the Spartans walked away with the victory – their 13th straight in the series.
 
Harley completed the night with a match-high 19 kills, which was two off her career-high of 21 set earlier this season against USC Upstate. She led all players with a .500 attack percentage as the Terriers just had no answer for the senior middle all night.
 
Wofford (12-17, 4-8 SoCon) remains in eighth place in Southern Conference standings. Chattanooga (5-8 SoCon) sits a half-game ahead in seventh, followed by Mercer (5-7 SoCon) a full game up on Wofford in sixth.
 
The win moved UNCG (16-10, 8-5 SoCon) into sole possession of third.
 
Heading into the night, just 2.5 games separated third and eighth place. The Terriers will take on fifth-place ETSU (6-5 SoCon) at home on Friday, before heading to Cullowhee, N.C. to battle fourth-place Western Carolina (7-5 SoCon) on Saturday. The regular season concludes the following weekend at Chattanooga and first-place Samford (16-9, 10-2 SoCon).
 
Freshmen outsides Alex Holland and Bella Santoro led Wofford's attack Wednesday night. Holland matched a career-high with 16 kills and hit .300, while Santoro had 15 slams and hit .268. Santoro also added a career-high 18 digs for her team-leading 10th double-double of the season.
 
In the end, UNCG was able to quiet the Terriers just enough to pull away. The Spartans came into the contest with the SoCon's No. 1 mark in opponent hitting percentage (.186). They outhit Wofford .263 to .210, registering five more kills (60-55).
 
The Terrier UNCG did the best job of silencing was senior right side Taylor Baird. Wofford's leader in every attacking category was held to just seven kills and a .107 attack percentage, also suffering from four service errors.
 
Freshman setter Molly Mayo ended up three kills shy of triple-double. She earned 40 assists, 10 digs and seven kills, hitting .455 to lead all Terriers. Her 40 assists move her season total to 1,049, which ties for ninth with former player and head coach Jennifer Nodine Wilder (1993) in the Wofford single-season record books.
 
Junior libero Jessica Graham shared the match-high in digs with opposing libero Katherine Santiago. Both went for 19 and five assists.
 
On defense at the net, junior middle Liz Buterbaugh posted a match-high five blocks and freshman middle Danni Densford went for four. Wofford outblocked the Spartans 9-7, losing for the first time this season when registering more blocks.
 
The Terriers will look to end the home slate with a win on Senior Night this Friday against ETSU. Wofford will celebrate the careers of seniors Taylor Baird and Kaitlin Farrisi with a pregame ceremony. The match is scheduled for 6 p.m.