KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Wofford volleyball team utilized a stellar block and balanced attack to secure its first victory of the campaign, downing Winthrop in straight sets (25-20, 25-17, 25-18) Friday morning in the Food City Center. The Terriers wrap up their stint in the Tennessee Invitational at 1-4 on the season as the Eagles drop to 2-2.
 
"It feels great, just knowing what's to come and how good this team's going to be," said sophomore Chloe Smith of the team's first victory.
 
Wofford was stout at the net, following last night's season high of nine blocks with 10 denials today. The Terriers put forth three aces while holding the Eagles to just one, and Wofford held a 47-36 kills advantage. Offensively, Wofford hit .261 with 12 errors in 134 attacks, and Winthrop was guilty of 21 miscues in its 129 attempts for a mark of .116.
 
Leading the charge was the duo of Bradley Brown and Chloe Smith with 12 and 11 kills, respectively. Brown hit .667 as she was errorless in her 18 swings. Smith added 12 digs to record her second-career double-double. Freshmen Charlotte Bell and Ella Coleman each notched eight kills while Natalie Arnold amassed seven to make it five Terriers with at least seven kills.
 
Maddy Frazier helped feed the attack with 20 assists, and Taylor Pecht notched 14. Laney Klika added nine. She narrowly missed a double-double with 14 digs, tying for the team lead with Coleman. Pecht was also just short, posting nine digs. Wofford's three aces were dispersed evenly between Frazier, Smith, and Coleman with one each.
 
The triumphant Terrier block was led by the freshman Bell with her career-best effort of five. Annemarie Rakoski tallied four while Brown put forth three.
 
"We've just been working really hard on a big, physical press and getting up early," said Brown of the blocking success. "I think we've been having a good setup on both of our pins, and our middles have done a great job of closing, so that's been a really good help."
 
Winthrop won the first point of the match, but the Terriers responded with the next three, including kills from Chloe Smith and Bradley Brown. After the Eagles battled back to a 7-5 edge, the Terriers hit a stride to rattle of a seven-point run that featured three kills by Smith, a kill by Natalie Arnold, and a block by Annemarie Rakoski. After a Winthrop point, Wofford won five in a row for a 20-9. That run was highlighted by a Maddy Frazier ace alongside Charlotte Bell notching a kill and block. Winthrop did not quit, however, pushing back to within 23-18. After Arnold created set point with a kill, Winthrop got two more points, but an error marked a 25-20 set one win for Wofford.
 
Continuing to ride the momentum, Wofford won the opening three points of set two and led 6-1 early. The teams began to trade points, and Winthrop clawed back within one point on three separate instances. After the Eagles brought the set to within 15-13, Wofford settled in to embark on a 6-1 run, beginning with back-to-back kills by Natalie Arnold. Chloe Smith added an ace, and Arnold posted a block with Annemarie Rakoski to make the score 19-13. Winthrop tried to keep pace, but Wofford remained a step ahead the rest of the way. Charlotte Bell and Smith combined for a block to mark set point, and the Terriers followed a Winthrop score with a Bell solo denial to notch the set two win, 25-17.
 
The third set was tight early with the Eagles leading 8-7, but Ella Coleman's kill tied the set and sparked a five-point Terrier run. Bradley Brown took charge during the run with a pair of kills and a block alongside Charlotte Bell as the Terriers led 12-8. Winthrop fought back to pull within 19-17, but once again Wofford had a response. A pair of Coleman kills bookended a Chloe Smith strike for a 22-17 advantage. Winthrop tallied a point, and it was all Wofford from there. The freshmen closed out the match as Coleman scored a kill, Bell recorded a block, and the Coleman put home an ace for the 25-18 set victory and match sweep.
 
The Terriers will look to carry their momentum into next weekend with the home opener a week from today. Elon comes to Spartanburg on Saturday, September 12, for a 6:00 p.m. contest inside Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium.