JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Despite claiming the first set inside Brooks Gymnasium, the Wofford volleyball team could not hold on and ultimately fell to the ETSU Buccaneers in four sets (25-21, 15-25, 21-25, 14-25) to begin Southern Conference action Friday night. A hard-fought match, the result drops Wofford to 8-5 overall and 0-1 in league play. ETSU moves above .500 at 7-6 and sits 1-0 in conference action.
 
The loss snaps the Terriers' seven-match winning streak. It is Wofford's first loss in 21 days, last falling on Sept. 2 against App State in five sets.
 
Wofford bested ETSU in blocks, 10-8. But the Bucs held the advantage everywhere else, notably hitting .257 as a squad as opposed to Wofford's .130 mark. The Bucs also tallied eight aces, doubling the four of the Terriers.
 
Bella Zeman kept riding her hot hand, notching 11 kills to top the squad as the only Terrier in double-digits. Millie Loehr and Sarah Barham were not far behind with eight and six, respectively. Loehr's .500 hitting percentage on eight kills, one error and 14 swings topped the Terriers.
 
Barham and Loehr also led the net-minding efforts, swatting five and four blocks, respectively, to pace the team. Abbey Richman totaled 14 digs to lead the way, and Victoria Hensley dished 20 assists to pace the Terriers. Four different Terriers delivered an ace, with Addison Foote, Victoria Hensley, Caroline Przystup and Abbey Richman combining for Wofford's four aces.
 
Emily Hodsdon secured her 20^th-career double-double, her fourth of the campaign, by way of 15 assists and 12 digs. She finished second among Terriers in the match in both categories.
 
Though dropping the first point, Wofford battled back to quickly take the lead in what would be a tight set. The Terriers eventually led 20-15 before a three-point run pulled the Bucs within two at 20-18. The squads traded some blows before Bella Zeman brought about set point, and after an ETSU kill, Mary Emily Morgan put the set away to give Wofford the early advantage.
 
The Bucs responded in a big way, opening set two by claiming the first eight points. The Terriers attempted to battle back, pulling within four at 12-8, but the immediate deficit proved too much to overcome. ETSU ultimately won the set 25-15 to pull the match level.
 
Victoria Hensley opened the third set with an ace, but like the first set, this one was yet another back-and-forth tilt. After ETSU pulled in front at 5-3, Wofford won four of the next five points to move back in front at 7-6. The lead continuously changed hands, with Wofford holding a 19-18 edge thanks to a Sarah MacLean kill. But ETSU would then record the next four points to jump back in front at 22-19. MacLean notched another kill shortly thereafter to try to keep pace, but it was too little, too late as ETSU recorded the final two points to win the third set.
 
Sitting one set away from victory, the Bucs opened the fourth frame with the first two points. Wofford remained on ETSU's heels the whole way, pulling within one point four times in the early goings. But the Terriers couldn't quite tie the score or move in front, as the Buccaneer momentum carried ETSU to the set four and match win.
 
Wofford remains in the Volunteer State with a chance to bounce back at Chattanooga tomorrow afternoon at 4:00 p.m.