SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford volleyball team played two hard-fought matches to open its home slate in the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium, but the Terriers lost to Eastern Kentucky 3-1 (17-25, 28-26, 18-25, 20-15) and to App State 3-2 (25-20, 22-25, 23-25, 25-18, 7-15). Wofford falls to 1-4 with its results in the Wofford Invitational.
 
Match One – vs. Eastern Kentucky
 
Despite leading the Colonels in aces (4-3), blocks (9-4) and assists (45-40), the Terriers were outmatched in points (67-62) and kills (60-49). Eastern Kentucky held a slight dig advantage at 72-67.
 
Sarah Barham topped the squad outright in kills (15) and blocks (five) while tying with Addison Foote for the aces lead with two each. Millie Loehr tallied 11 kills as the only other Terrier in double-digits. Emily Hodsdon amassed 38 assists and 13 digs for a double-double, her second of the campaign (18^th career), to lead Wofford in both marks. Kennedy Smith and Mary Emily Morgan also picked up 10 digs each.
 
Eastern Kentucky claimed the first set 25-17, but Wofford played the second set rather tightly, as the largest lead either side held in the set was Wofford's 15-10 advantage in the middle portions. But the Colonels fought back and eventually held a set point with a 25-24 lead, but an attacking error evened the mark again. After trading a pair of points, a set error laid the foundation for Bella Zeman's kill to secure the second set triumph.
 
The Colonels controlled the entirety of the third set, and though the Terriers were right on their heels the whole way, they could not quite catch up. The fourth set was another tight barnburner. Wofford pulled to within a point with a Sarah Barham kill for a 19-18 deficit. But Eastern Kentucky managed to pull back out and stave off Wofford's comeback attempts, winning the final three points to claim set four and the match.
 
Match Two – vs. App State
 
In what was a well-played, tight battle, Wofford maintained control of most of the major statistical categories. The Terriers led in points (83-73), kills (70-58), blocks (8-5), assists (61-52) and digs (96-86). Despite this, App State led in aces with a 10-5 margin and ultimately claimed a five-set win.
 
Four different Terriers tallied double-digit kills, with Bella Zeman's 17 leading the way. Millie Loehr was close behind with 16, and Sarah Barham and Mary Emily Morgan each picked up 13.
 
In addition to her 13 kills, Morgan accrued 17 digs for a double-double, her first of the season and of her career. Not to be outdone, freshman Victoria Hensley also recorded her first-career double-double with a team-leading 28 assists on top of 18 digs.
 
Hensley also topped the squad with three aces. Emily Hodsdon did not trail much in assists with 27 to her name. Sarah Barham led with four blocks, and Kaitlyn Brown's 20 digs edged Hensley and Morgan for the team lead.
 
After a tight 25-20 first set win seemed to set a tone for the Terriers, the Mountaineers responded with their own hard-nosed 25-22 win in set two. A six-point run flipped Wofford's 20-18 lead in the frame to a 24-20 App State advantage, which the Mountaineers would close off three points later.
 
Wofford used a five-point run late in the third set to pull even at 22, and the squads would trade points again for another tie at 23. But two attacking errors provided the win for App State, and the Mountaineers stood one set away. Feeling the pressure, the Terriers stepped up big time in set four. After the set started off a little tight, Wofford pulled away to eventually hold a 22-16 margin. A few points later, Millie Loehr would put the set away and force the decisive fifth frame.
 
Though Wofford carried the momentum into the winner-take-all fifth set, App State immediately nixed it and turned it around. The Mountaineers claimed four of the first five points and seven of the first ten. With a 9-4 lead, the Mountaineers made an attacking error to give Wofford a point and make the deficit 9-5. App State would then go on a five-point run to create match point and all but dash the Terrier comeback hopes. But Wofford put up as much of a fight as it could, and Bella Zeman notched a kill before Kaitlyn Brown delivered an ace. But it was for naught as an error sealed the deal and the five-set win for App State.
 
The Wofford Invitational concludes with two matches overall tomorrow. After Eastern Kentucky and App State play in the 11:00 a.m. contest, the tournament concludes with Wofford's match-up against crosstown foe USC Upstate at 2:00 p.m.