ELON, N.C. – For the third time this season the Elon volleyball team (7-2) won a deciding fifth set to claim a 3-2 (19-25, 25-16, 27-25, 21-25, 15-10) victory over Wofford (3-5) tonight, Sept. 9, to earn its fourth straight win in the Elon Phoenix Classic in Alumni Gym.
Kam Terry tallied her fourth double-double of the season after a team-high 16 kills and 10 digs. Ebony Scott followed with 11 kills followed by 10 from Michelle Klein. Sydel Curry also posted a double-double, her third of the year, after 43 assists and 15 digs. The defense out-blocked Wofford, 12-3, led by six blocks from both Ally Karle and Klein, while Kayla Agae added five blocks to go with 16 digs. Maddie Jaudon finished with a team-high 17 digs.
The Terriers saw a double-double after a match-high 19 kills and 11 digs from Catie Cronister. Lorissa King and Madeline Savage also posted match highs with 47 assists and 25 digs, respectively.
How it Happened
The first set saw four ties before the Phoenix took the slight advantage, 11-9, after a kill by Klein. With the set back to even, 18-all, Wofford used a 7-1 run to close out the set with a 25-19 win.
The maroon and gold came out strong in the second set with a 5-1 lead after blocks and kills by Agae and Karle. Elon extended the advantage to seven, 11-4, with a Terry kill, forcing a Terrier timeout. Holding a 13-8 edge, several Wofford errors and back-to-back kills by Scott put the Phoenix in front by 10, 18-8. The Phoenix would continue its run and use a kill by Terry to even the match with a 25-16 final.
With Elon leading by two in the third set, 15-13, kills by Agae, Klein and Terry and a blocky by Curry and Klein helped the team to a 5-1 run to move ahead by six, 20-14. A Scott kill gave the Phoenix set point, 24-17, before the Terriers scored seven straight to take a 25-24 lead. The maroon and gold used two Wofford errors and an ace by Jaudon to halt the Terriers and win, 27-25.
The fourth set saw eight ties by the time the score reached 17-all before Wofford moved in front by five, 22-17. A kill by Scott and an ace by Agae closed the gap to three, 23-20, but the Terriers closed out the set, 25-21, to send the match to a deciding fifth set.
Kills by Curry and Scott helped Elon to a 5-0 lead to start the fifth set as the Terriers responded to even the score at six-all. With the set still tied, 10-all, two kills by Curry and a block by Agae led to set point before an Agae kill closed out five straight to win the set, 15-10, and the match, 3-2.
Notes
This marked the 24th all-time meeting between the two programs…Elon now leads the series 19-3…The Phoenix has won 12 of the last 13 meetings…Elon has never lost to Wofford in Alumni Gym (6-0).
Up Next
The Phoenix continues play in the Elon Phoenix Classic tomorrow, Sept. 10, in Alumni Gym. Elon takes on Delaware State at 11:30 a.m. before closing out the tournament against Gardner-Webb at 7 p.m.