MACON, Ga. – Despite a pair of double-doubles and a freshman duo setting new career highs, the Wofford volleyball team lost to the Mercer Bears in Hawkins Arena in five sets (19-25, 25-18, 25-18, 16-25, 10-15) after a Mercer comeback. After dropping set one, Wofford won the next two but fell in the subsequent two as the Bears battled back for the win. Wofford drops to 12-7 and 4-3 in the SoCon while Mercer improves to 7-13 and 3-5 in league action.
 
The Terriers dominated the serve, delivering 10 aces to just four by Mercer, with those 10 being the second most by the Terriers in a match this season. But things were close otherwise with blocks even at seven and Mercer holding slight edges in kills (55-52), assists (51-45) and digs (66-64). Offensive efficiency was the biggest difference, with Mercer committing 17 errors for a .264 hitting clip while Wofford's 22 errors led to a .196 effort.
 
But Wofford's loss would not be without the Terriers' best efforts. Kennedy Smith showed why she's the twice-reigning SoCon Offensive Player of the Week by posting yet another double-double, her fourth of the season and of the last five matches. By way of a team-leading 14 kills with 11 digs, she now holds 11 double-doubles in her career. Bella Zeman joined Smith in double figures with 13 kills of her own.
 
Not to be outdone, freshman Victoria Hensley added her second double-double of the season and of her career with a team-pacing 40 assists in addition to 11 digs. Hensley's fellow freshmen also shined in the match, as Caroline Przystup delivered four aces to pace the team. Those aces tie her career high and the Wofford single-match high this season. At the net, Annemarie Rakoski swatted a new career-best four blocks to top the squad on her birthday.
 
Abbey Richman delivered her 11^th-straight match with double-digit digs to lead the team with 22. That total is a new Terrier single-match high in the campaign.
 
The first set established the tone of the match as a back-and-forth battle. Tight the entire way, a four-point Wofford run pulled the Terriers within a point at 17-16. But Mercer followed with a five-point run to nix that for a 22-16 lead that ultimately held for the 25-19 opening-set win.
 
In set two, Wofford used a five-point run to take a lead in the middle goings. Sarah Barham delivered a pair of kills before Victoria Hensley sent in an ace. Bella Zeman added two kills herself for a 15-11 Terrier advantage. Mercer would not be able to dig out of that hole, as Wofford pulled away to a 25-18 win in set two.
 
Once again, the third set was back-and-forth out of the gate, but Wofford rolled off a six-point run to pull out to a 14-8 lead. The Beats spent the rest of the set trying to fight back, but the Terriers held them off to claim another 25-18 win in the third.
 
With the win in sight, Wofford held a 9-7 lead thanks to a Kennedy Smith kill. But Mercer found a groove for a seven-point run to pull ahead at 14-9. This time it was Wofford trying to battle back, and Mercer held firm to stave off the Terrier comeback for a 25-16 set four win.
 
Wofford opened the decisive fifth set up 8-6, but Mercer pulled in front at 10-8 thanks to four-straight points. That run sparked the Bears, and Wofford was held to just two points the rest of the way as Mercer earned the win in set five 15-10 to also claim the match.
 
The Terriers remain on the road and look to rebound in tomorrow night's contest in Birmingham, Alabama. Wofford battles Samford at 6:00 p.m. ET to conclude the weekend road swing.