SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Opening the team's second preseason tournament less than five miles from campus, USC Upstate volleyball faced off with Appalachian State in the opening match of the Wofford Invitational, succumbing to the Mountaineers in four sets by scores of 17-25, 16-25, 25-23, 19-25.
 
Despite falling down two sets to none at intermission, Upstate battled back in the third set, taking the set behind 17 kills in the frame—the most kills in a single set by either team in the match. A trio of Spartan attackers, sophomore right-side hitter Kate Idrogo, freshman middle blocker Ady O'Grady, and senior right-side hitter Briana Strobert, combined for 12 of the team's 17 terminations with four kills apiece. Freshman outside hitter Isabella Raciunas added three additional kills in the frame for the Upstate offense.
 
In the totality of the match, Idrogo paced Upstate with 10 kills—the first Spartan to reach double-figures in a balanced offense this season. Just behind her were Raciunas and Strobert who tallied nine terminations each while O'Grady led the Spartans in hitting efficiency, posting a .571 hitting percentage behind five kills with one error on seven swings.
 
Adding to her five kills and .571 hitting efficiency, O'Grady tacked on a pair of solo blocks as she led Upstate's block over the final two sets. Fellow freshman middle blocker MJ Klaumann joined O'Grady atop the team's block leaderboard with a pair of block assists.
 
Behind the block, sophomore libero/defensive specialist Julia Gladhill scooped up a team-best 13 digs, eclipsing double-figures for the first time this season. Nearly hitting double-digit digs, freshman defensive specialist/libero Jaci Drinnon dug up nine balls.
 
Elsewhere on the stat sheet, junior setter Emma McElveen led Upstate with 16 assists while three Spartans, junior middle blocker Nikki Deslatte, Drinnon, and sophomore setter Kayla Spangler each landed an assist.
 
UP Next for the Spartans
Continuing play at the Wofford Invitational, Upstate battles Eastern Kentucky this afternoon at 4 p.m. ET. The Spartans will be wearing black uniforms in solidarity with the volleyball community as part of the American Volleyball Coaches Association's initiative to blackout racism. Fans attending today's match are encouraged to don black in support of the initiative.
 
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