CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Wofford volleyball team kept pace with the Chattanooga Mocs well Saturday evening inside Maclellan Gym, but the Terriers fell in a sweep after dropping three close sets (22-25, 20-25, 20-25). Wofford falls to 8-6 in the campaign and 0-2 in SoCon play. Chattanooga improves to 7-9 and 2-0 in league action.
 
Fourteen matches in, the result is Wofford's first straight-set loss of the season. It is the latest into a season in Wofford's Division I era that the Terriers have been swept, besting the previous mark set in 2008 in which it took Wofford until its 12^th match.
 
The Terriers kept pace with the Mocs in most statistical categories, with Wofford securing one more kill (38-37) and block (11-10). Digs (51) and aces (four) were even, and Wofford held a 37-28 assist advantage. But the most notable difference favored Chattanooga – the .180 hitting clip of the Mocs compared to the .097 mark for the Terriers. The Wofford attack fell victim to 26 errors, while the Mocs kept it cleaner with 17.
 
Kennedy Smith and Bella Zeman led the Wofford attack efforts with 10 kills apiece. Millie Loehr was close behind with seven, and she paced the squad with six blocks.
 
Abbey Richman was the top Terrier in both digs (13) and aces (two). Victoria Hensley dished a team-leading 26 assists.
 
Mary Emily Morgan opened play by notching a kill to give Wofford the immediate edge. However, Chattanooga secured the next four points to move in front. Wofford kept it close, utilizing back-to-back tandem blocks to knot the set at seven all. After three more ties, the last by way of a Bella Zeman kill, an attacking error put Wofford back in front at 12-11. A Zeman-Loehr combo swat a few points later had Wofford up 14-12, but then the Mocs found a rhythm. A six-point run saw Chattanooga move in front 18-14. The Terriers gave their best efforts to battle back, as Abbey Richman delivered two consecutive aces to pull within one at 21-20. But the Mocs would pull away and ultimately claim the set 25-22.
 
That momentum carried into the second set for Chattanooga, as the Mocs won the first four points. Wofford found a groove itself, though, and fought back to a 6-6 tie thanks to a Sarah MacLean kill. An error put the Terriers in front on the next point, but the set remained tight and was later tied at 10 all. The Mocs pulled in front, and they held the lead the rest of the way. Though Bella Zeman put away a kill late, followed by a Victoria Hensley block, Chattanooga closed out the set at 25-20.
 
With their backs against the wall, the Terriers opened the third set by claiming the first two points. Bella Zeman notched the first point with a kill, and a setting error provided another point. After a pair of ties, Kennedy Smith pushed Wofford back ahead 4-3. But Chattanooga kept up its hot play and retook the lead, forcing the Terriers to battle from behind again. Wofford jumped ahead 7-6 thanks to an ace from Caroline Przystup, but the Terriers could not find comfort as the Mocs kept battling back for ties. Sarah Barham later secured a kill to open a 3-1 run for a 15-12 Wofford lead, but Chattanooga responded with a six-point run to flip the script back in its favor at 18-15. The Terrier comeback efforts were strong, but they were not quite enough as the Mocs closed out the set 25-20 to claim a straight-set win over Wofford.
 
The Terriers return home next week looking to bounce back in their home conference opener. Wofford plays host to rival Furman Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 6:00 p.m. in a match that kicks off a four-match homestand inside the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium.