CLEMSON, S.C. – The Wofford volleyball team battled hard against the Clemson Tigers Sunday afternoon in the finale of the Big Orange Bash, but it was the Tigers who came away with a straight-set victory (20-25, 26-28, 18-25) in Jervey Gym. The result moves Wofford to .500 at 1-1 on the season while Clemson improves to 2-0.
 
The Terriers committed one less error on the attack, 17-18, but were out-hit .258 to .170 in the contest. The Tigers had an up-and-down service on the day, committing eight service errors but balancing that with eight aces while holding the Terriers to two aces. But Wofford was tops at the net, totaling nine blocks against Clemson's seven.
 
Sarah MacLean picked up where she left off yesterday against Middle Tennessee, notching 10 kills to pace the squad. She hit .643 in the match with only one error on 14 swings. Mary Emily Morgan fell just short of double-digits with nine kills.
 
Millie Loehr remained a force at the net, swatting five blocks to lead the team. Sarah Barham added three of her own. Emily Hodsdon dished a team-best 16 assists while Taylor Pecht contributed 11 of her own. Hodsdon tallied one of the Terrier aces, and freshman Laney Klika sent home the other.
 
Abbey Richman topped the squad with 11 digs, pushing her double-digit dig streak to 23-straight matches. Mary Emily Morgan added seven digs to just miss her second consecutive double-double.
 
Set one was neck-and-neck early with eight total ties, with the last at 10-10. Clemson took a lead and held on from there, though not comfortably. Wofford stayed right on the Tigers' heels, utilizing a kill by Mary Emily Morgan and a tandem block late to pull within four points, but Clemson would notch the set-winning kill to claim the first frame, 25-20.
 
A service error and an Addison Foote kill had the Terriers up 2-0 early in set two, which proved to be a barn-burning thriller with nine ties and five lead changes. Clemson battled to level the set at 11-11, but a Taylor Pecht kill pushed the Terriers back in front. Wofford gained some momentum late in the set by claiming seven of nine points to make the score 23-18. This swing was highlighted by a three-point run and a pair of Mary Emily Morgan kills. Wofford was knocking on the door of taking the set, but Clemson claimed six of the next seven points to take a 25-24 lead. A service error and attack error put Wofford on set point once more, but then Tigers found another rhythm and won the next three points to seal the set, taking a 2-0 lead.
 
With the pressure mounting, the Terriers opened the third set with a tandem block by Millie Loehr and Mary Emily Morgan. But Clemson stayed on pace with Wofford, and eventually pulling ahead 11-7. But showing plenty of grit, the Terriers claimed four of five points, punctuated by a Sarah MacLean kill, to pull within one at 12-11. But Clemson regained its footing, and despite a late Sarah Barham kill and Loehr block, the Tigers won the final three points to seal a 25-18 set three win and match victory.
 
At the conclusion of Clemson's Big Orange Bash, the All-Tournament Team was announced with Wofford's Mary Emily Morgan and Sarah MacLean receiving recognition for the Terriers.
 
Wofford returns to the court on Friday, September 1, to begin its Wofford Invitational. The Terriers open the two-day event with a pair of matches on Friday against South Carolina State and Georgia State. The opener against the Bulldogs is slated to begin at 9:30 a.m. inside Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium.