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Samford and Wofford advance to SoCon championship
No. 4 Samford, No. 3 Terriers win in straight sets in the semifinals
No. 4 Samford 3, No. 1 The Citadel 0
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – No. 4 Samford swept The Citadel, handing the No. 1 seed just its third defeat of the season, in the first semifinal match of the Southern Conference Volleyball Championship on Saturday in Wofford’s Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. Samford advances to the SoCon championship match, looking for its second straight tournament title and fifth in six seasons.
Samford began the match with a 7-2 run, forcing an early timeout from The Citadel. After the timeout, The Citadel slowly worked its way back into the frame as a kill from Kathleen Bula tied the score at 13-13. Samford regained control and after kills by first-team all-conference performer Gracie Lynn Butler and Greer Golden made the score 20-17, The Citadel took its second timeout of the set. Following the timeout, Samford never let its lead drop below two points as a kill by Kate Wonus gave Samford the 25-20 win in the opening frame.
In the second set, Samford continued its strong play, getting out to a 12-5 advantage after a service ace from Wonus. The Citadel took its first timeout of the frame following the ace. The Citadel would get back in the set following the break and after a kill from Maddy Cardenas, a second-team all-conference selection, made the score 15-14 in favor of Samford, a timeout was called by Samford.
The Citadel would eventually tie the score at 17-17 on an attack error by Samford. The Citadel would take its first lead of the match three points later when a Mackenzie Martin kill made the score 19-18. A kill from SoCon Player of the Year Ali Ruffin appeared to put The Citadel up 22-20 but a successful challenge by Samford reversed the call, making the score 21-21. Samford would go on to score the final four points of the frame, punctuated by back-to-back kills from Ally Cordes to make the match 2-0.
In the third set, The Citadel scored the first three points to lead in the opening moments. Samford answered with five straight points as a service ace by Kate Morgan made the score 5-3. Samford continued to keep The Citadel at arm’s length as a kill from SoCon Freshman of the Year Kaleigh Meritt made the score 15-12 before the media timeout.
Samford got its lead to as many as six as the set went on. The Citadel would then close the gap to 22-21 following a kill from Ruffin, making Samford take a timeout. The two teams split the next two points before a kill by Wonus and a block by Butler ended the set at 25-22, giving Samford the win in straight sets.
Meritt had a double-double for the second straight day, finishing with a game-high 14 kills, 10 digs and two aces. Morgan had a team-high 15 digs and two service aces. SoCon Setter of the Year Belle Hogan recorded 25 assists and nine digs for The Citadel. SoCon Libero of the Year Jaelynn Elgert had a match-high 18 digs for The Citadel.
No. 3 Wofford 3, No. 7 Chattanooga 0
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – No. 3 Wofford collected a win over No. 7 Chattanooga via sweep in the second semifinal match of the Southern Conference Volleyball Championship on Saturday in Wofford’s Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. Wofford will be playing in its third tournament title match in program history, the last appearance came in 2021, and a win for the Terriers will be the first tournament title for any women’s sports program in school history.
The two teams were even through 24 points before Wofford went on a 3-0 run to lead 15-12 at the media timeout. The Terriers continued their run and after a kill from Sarah MacLean made the score 19-13, Chattanooga took a timeout.
Wofford extended its lead to 23-16 following a block by second-team all-conference performer Millie Loehr. Four points later, Mary Emily Morgan got a kill for the Terriers to end the set 25-18.
In the second set, the Terriers jumped out to an early lead, going ahead 10-5 following an ace by Taylor Pecht which led to a Chattanooga timeout. The Mocs got back into the set and eventually tied the frame 16-16 after back-to-back kills by Morgan Romano, a second-team all-conference selection. Wofford would move back in front and go ahead 22-19, leading to another Mocs timeout.
Following the break, Chattanooga scored three straight points to tie the match at 22-22. A kill by Chard’e Vanzandt made the score 24-23 in favor of the Mocs, forcing a timeout by the Terriers. Chattanooga would get to set point again two plays later, but Wofford ended the set on a 3-0 run, with an ace from Laney Klika ending the set 27-25 and moving the Terriers one set away from victory.
The third set was a back-and-forth battle in the early moments. The two squads split the opening 20 points to stand tied at 10-10. Wofford would create separation on the next few points, heading into the media timeout up 15-12 after a kill by first-team all-conference selection Sarah Barham.
After the break, Wofford extended its lead to five, going ahead 20-15 which led to a Mocs timeout. The Terriers would keep growing their lead and eventually win the final set 25-18 after a kill by Natalie Arnold.
MacLean had 11 kills to lead the Terriers. Morgan and Klika each had 18 digs to share the team high in the category. Second-team all-conference selection Paige Gallentine finished with a match-high 21 digs for the Mocs. Vanzandt recorded a match-high 12 kills.
2023 Southern Conference Volleyball Championship
Spartanburg, South Carolina
Tuesday, Nov. 14
First Round
Match 1: No. 8 ETSU 3, No. 9 UNCG 1 (at ETSU)
Friday, Nov. 17
Quarterfinals
Match 2: No. 4 Samford 3, No. 5 Furman 2
Match 3: No. 1 The Citadel 3, No. 8 ETSU 0
Match 4: No. 7 Chattanooga 3, No. 2 Mercer 1
Match 5: No. 3 Wofford 3, No. 6 Western Carolina 2
Saturday, Nov. 18
Semifinals
Match 6: No. 4 Samford 3, No. 1 The Citadel 0
Match 7: No. 3 Wofford 3, No. 7 Chattanooga 0
Sunday, Nov. 19
Championship
Match 8: No. 4 Samford vs. No. 3 Wofford, 4 p.m.
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – No. 4 Samford swept The Citadel, handing the No. 1 seed just its third defeat of the season, in the first semifinal match of the Southern Conference Volleyball Championship on Saturday in Wofford’s Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. Samford advances to the SoCon championship match, looking for its second straight tournament title and fifth in six seasons.
Samford began the match with a 7-2 run, forcing an early timeout from The Citadel. After the timeout, The Citadel slowly worked its way back into the frame as a kill from Kathleen Bula tied the score at 13-13. Samford regained control and after kills by first-team all-conference performer Gracie Lynn Butler and Greer Golden made the score 20-17, The Citadel took its second timeout of the set. Following the timeout, Samford never let its lead drop below two points as a kill by Kate Wonus gave Samford the 25-20 win in the opening frame.
In the second set, Samford continued its strong play, getting out to a 12-5 advantage after a service ace from Wonus. The Citadel took its first timeout of the frame following the ace. The Citadel would get back in the set following the break and after a kill from Maddy Cardenas, a second-team all-conference selection, made the score 15-14 in favor of Samford, a timeout was called by Samford.
The Citadel would eventually tie the score at 17-17 on an attack error by Samford. The Citadel would take its first lead of the match three points later when a Mackenzie Martin kill made the score 19-18. A kill from SoCon Player of the Year Ali Ruffin appeared to put The Citadel up 22-20 but a successful challenge by Samford reversed the call, making the score 21-21. Samford would go on to score the final four points of the frame, punctuated by back-to-back kills from Ally Cordes to make the match 2-0.
In the third set, The Citadel scored the first three points to lead in the opening moments. Samford answered with five straight points as a service ace by Kate Morgan made the score 5-3. Samford continued to keep The Citadel at arm’s length as a kill from SoCon Freshman of the Year Kaleigh Meritt made the score 15-12 before the media timeout.
Samford got its lead to as many as six as the set went on. The Citadel would then close the gap to 22-21 following a kill from Ruffin, making Samford take a timeout. The two teams split the next two points before a kill by Wonus and a block by Butler ended the set at 25-22, giving Samford the win in straight sets.
Meritt had a double-double for the second straight day, finishing with a game-high 14 kills, 10 digs and two aces. Morgan had a team-high 15 digs and two service aces. SoCon Setter of the Year Belle Hogan recorded 25 assists and nine digs for The Citadel. SoCon Libero of the Year Jaelynn Elgert had a match-high 18 digs for The Citadel.
No. 3 Wofford 3, No. 7 Chattanooga 0
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – No. 3 Wofford collected a win over No. 7 Chattanooga via sweep in the second semifinal match of the Southern Conference Volleyball Championship on Saturday in Wofford’s Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. Wofford will be playing in its third tournament title match in program history, the last appearance came in 2021, and a win for the Terriers will be the first tournament title for any women’s sports program in school history.
The two teams were even through 24 points before Wofford went on a 3-0 run to lead 15-12 at the media timeout. The Terriers continued their run and after a kill from Sarah MacLean made the score 19-13, Chattanooga took a timeout.
Wofford extended its lead to 23-16 following a block by second-team all-conference performer Millie Loehr. Four points later, Mary Emily Morgan got a kill for the Terriers to end the set 25-18.
In the second set, the Terriers jumped out to an early lead, going ahead 10-5 following an ace by Taylor Pecht which led to a Chattanooga timeout. The Mocs got back into the set and eventually tied the frame 16-16 after back-to-back kills by Morgan Romano, a second-team all-conference selection. Wofford would move back in front and go ahead 22-19, leading to another Mocs timeout.
Following the break, Chattanooga scored three straight points to tie the match at 22-22. A kill by Chard’e Vanzandt made the score 24-23 in favor of the Mocs, forcing a timeout by the Terriers. Chattanooga would get to set point again two plays later, but Wofford ended the set on a 3-0 run, with an ace from Laney Klika ending the set 27-25 and moving the Terriers one set away from victory.
The third set was a back-and-forth battle in the early moments. The two squads split the opening 20 points to stand tied at 10-10. Wofford would create separation on the next few points, heading into the media timeout up 15-12 after a kill by first-team all-conference selection Sarah Barham.
After the break, Wofford extended its lead to five, going ahead 20-15 which led to a Mocs timeout. The Terriers would keep growing their lead and eventually win the final set 25-18 after a kill by Natalie Arnold.
MacLean had 11 kills to lead the Terriers. Morgan and Klika each had 18 digs to share the team high in the category. Second-team all-conference selection Paige Gallentine finished with a match-high 21 digs for the Mocs. Vanzandt recorded a match-high 12 kills.
2023 Southern Conference Volleyball Championship
Spartanburg, South Carolina
Tuesday, Nov. 14
First Round
Match 1: No. 8 ETSU 3, No. 9 UNCG 1 (at ETSU)
Friday, Nov. 17
Quarterfinals
Match 2: No. 4 Samford 3, No. 5 Furman 2
Match 3: No. 1 The Citadel 3, No. 8 ETSU 0
Match 4: No. 7 Chattanooga 3, No. 2 Mercer 1
Match 5: No. 3 Wofford 3, No. 6 Western Carolina 2
Saturday, Nov. 18
Semifinals
Match 6: No. 4 Samford 3, No. 1 The Citadel 0
Match 7: No. 3 Wofford 3, No. 7 Chattanooga 0
Sunday, Nov. 19
Championship
Match 8: No. 4 Samford vs. No. 3 Wofford, 4 p.m.