CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Wofford volleyball team continued its road swing with a straight-set sweep over the Western Carolina Catamounts (25-22, 25-23, 25-18) Thursday night at the Liston B. Ramsey Center. With the win, the Terriers improve to 15-3 and 6-1 in the SoCon, and Western Carolina falls to 5-13 (2-5 SoCon).
 
The sweep is Wofford's first in Cullowhee since 2016. It is also Wofford's ninth straight-set triumph of the campaign and fifth in SoCon play alone.
 
Though the Catamounts tallied one more ace, 3-2, Wofford controlled every other facet of the match. The Terriers out-hit the Catamounts .234 to .148, forcing 19 Western Carolina errors. Wofford also out-blocked Western Carolina, 7-5, and recorded a few more digs, 59-54.
 
The stout attack was powered by another balanced effort with two tallying double-digit kills and five with five or more. Sarah Barham led the way with 12 as Sarah MacLean was close behind with 10. Millie Loehr was just short of double figures with eight. MacLean was the most efficient, committing only a single error for a .474 hitting clip. Barham was not far from .400 at .391 with just three errors.
 
With three each, Barham and Addison Foote tied to lead the blocking efforts. Emily Hodsdon and Mary Emily Morgan each recorded an ace. Hodsdon also paced the team in assists with 18, and Taylor Pecht was not far off with 15 helpers of her own.
 
The Wofford defense protected the floor well as three Terriers owned double-digit digs. Abbey Richman led the way with 22, extending her double-digits streak to 39 consecutive matches. Foote tallied 12, and Morgan added 10.
 
Set one was a tight battle that featured seven ties and three lead changes. With a 4-1 run early, Wofford pulled ahead 10-6, but Western Carolina chipped away and pulled back in front, 17-14. But a Mary Emily Morgan kill sparked a 6-1 Wofford run that pushed the Terriers in front, 20-18. The run was punctuated by a Sarah Barham and Morgan tandem block. The Catamounts fought back to tie the contest at 20-20, but a service error gave Wofford the momentum it needed to close out the set as the Terriers claimed five of the last seven points of the frame. Millie Loehr's kill closed the set, 25-22, in favor of the Terriers.
 
The Catamounts opened the second set with the first three points, but Wofford powered back to win each of the next five. Wofford used two more runs, a three-point and four-point swing, in the middle goings to pull ahead 21-16. But the Catamounts kept fighting, pulling within 23-20 before Bri Mahoney brought about set point. But Western Carolina claimed the next three points to pull within a score. However, Sarah MacLean decided enough was enough and delivered a kill to win set two, 25-23.
 
Wofford again used a big run early in set three, this time six points, to pull in front 8-4 early. The Catamounts kept it close and used their own three-point swing to pull in front 17-16 in the middle goings. But Sarah Barham then took over, recording a kill to level the set before Sarah MacLean added her own for the lead. Emily Hodsdon kept feeding the hot hand, as Barham put home three more kills for a five-point run and a 21-17 lead. Despite a service error, the Terriers were undeterred and did not relent another point the rest of the way, claiming the next four points to ice the match. Addison Foote recorded an emphatic block for match point, and MacLean put home the match-winning kill as the Terriers claimed set three, 25-18, and the three-set sweep.
 
The four-match road trip concludes tomorrow night as Wofford travels to Johnson City, Tennessee, to face ETSU. First serve is set for 6:00 p.m., and the match can be seen on ESPN+.