Wofford College Athletics

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Wofford College volleyball team fell to the N.C. State University Wolfpack 3-2 on Saturday evening in the Summit Hospitality Tournament in Raleigh, North Carolina. Wofford claimed the first set 25-20, but N.C. State responded with two-straight sets. Despite winning set four, Wofford could not complete the upset, losing the match 3-2. The Terriers fall to 4-1 while N.C. State improves to 4-1.
 
Three Terriers finished with double-digit kills as Chloe Smith posted a team-high 14 kills to go along with 13 digs for her second double-double of the season. Bradley Brown followed behind with 13 kills on a .400 hitting percentage. Natalie Arnold rounded out the group with her fourth-straight match with 10 or more kills. Taylor Pecht helped orchestrate the offense with offense with 22 assists, while Maddy Frazier dished out 16 helpers. Laney Klika and Chloe Smith led the team with two aces apiece.
 
Klika also posted a team-high 21 digs, followed by 13 each from Taylor Pecht and Chloe Smith. Pecht notched her second double-double of the season. Bradley Brown led the defensive effort at the net, posting a season-high six blocks. Emily Normand joined in on three, while Avery White finished with two block assists.
 
Wofford finished the night with 45 kills on a .110 hitting percentage compared to 65 kills on a .231 hitting percentage from N.C. State. The Terriers posted six aces to N.C. State's four. The Wolfpack claimed the edge at the net, finishing with 13 blocks compared to Wofford's eight.
 
Wofford jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first set with help from a kill and an ace by Chloe Smith. The team stretched that out to a 5-2 advantage before N.C. State fought back for its first lead of the stanza. A 5-1 run from the Wolfpack put Wofford down 10-8, but the Terriers responded with three-straight points to regain the lead, 11-10. It continued to be back-and-forth for the next few rallies until Wofford went on a 6-2 run to take control of the opening set with a score of 25-20.
 
The Terriers found an early 6-1 lead in set two with help from Charlotte Bell and Bradley Brown. Leading the Wolfpack 15-13 later in the set, N.C. State closed the set with a 12-2 run. Wofford could not recover from the skid, losing set two 25-17.
 
N.C. State claimed the lead at the start of set three, with Wofford trailing 10-3. The Terriers fought back, however, cutting the deficit to four points, 12-8. The Wolfpack again had the answer, rolling off three-straight points to put Wofford down seven points at the media timeout. The Terriers got within five points one more time, but N.C. State took set three 25-19.
 
Set four saw both teams go back-and-forth in the early goings with six lead changes before the 15-point media timeout. After trailing 16-14, Wofford went on a 6-1 run to take a 20-17 lead. The run was highlighted by four kills from Bradley Brown and two from Chloe Smith. N.C. State would not give up, taking a 24-23 advantage with match point. The Terriers responded with three-straight points, however, as Chloe Smith sent the match to a fifth set with a kill.
 
N.C. State had a hot start in the final set, jumping out to an 8-1 lead. Charlotte Bell ended the skid, but the Wolfpack kept the pressure on. Five points was the closest Wofford could get in the match-clinching set as N.C. State would take the stanza 15-7 and the match 3-2.
 
Wofford will be back in action tomorrow to close out the Summit Hospitality Tournament at 12:00 p.m. against George Washington. The team will return home next week, hosting Coastal Carolina, South Carolina and Clemson in Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium