SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Wrapping up the Wofford Invitational with a meeting with crosstown rival and tournament host Wofford, USC Upstate volleyball engaged in a pair of tight sets, including pushing the second set to extra points, before dropping its final match of the event behind scores of 22-25, 25-27, 16-25.
Despite the setback, Upstate's floor defense accomplished something it hadn't in a three-set match since Oct. 30, 2021, by digging up 50-plus balls, totaling 57 digs (19.0 per set) against the Terriers. Scooping up 20-plus digs for the second straight match, freshman libero
Jaci Drinnon paced the Spartans in the category while three other Spartans finished with eight or more digs.
At the net defensively, the Spartans totaled 6.0 team blocks, pushing the program's streak of matches with 5.0 or more team blocks to 11, including all six matches this season. Leading the block for Upstate, senior right-side hitter
Briana Strobert collected four total blocks, registering four-plus total blocks for the second consecutive match.
Adding to her four total blocks, Strobert added seven kills without an error on 18 swings to construct a .389 hitting percentage. For her efforts Saturday afternoon and throughout the weekend (26 kills, .319 hitting percentage, and 10 total blocks), she earned her second All-Tournament Team honor of the season.
Leading Upstate offensively, sophomore right-side hitter
Kate Idrogo put down eight terminations, leading the team in kills for the second time at the Wofford Invitational. Just behind Idrogo and equaling Strobert's seven kills, junior middle blocker
Nikki Deslatte and sophomore outside hitter
Ashleigh Nicoll each recorded seven terminations.
Pacing the Spartan offense, setters, junior
Emma McElveen and sophomore
Kayla Spangler each passed out 12 assists while freshman setter
Savannah Page—setting for the first time this season—added four assists in the third set.
UP Next for the Spartans
Wrapping up the preseason tournament portion of the team's non-conference schedule, Upstate hits the road for the three-match, two-day ETSU Invitational in Johnson City, Tenn. The Spartans face Clemson, Georgia Southern, and East Tennessee State in the event which begins next Friday.
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