CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Senior Merry Gebel led five Western Carolina players in double figures offensively with 17 kills, but Wofford spoiled Senior Night for the Catamounts as the Terriers emerged with a 3-2 win on Friday night in Southern Conference action on Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center. Wofford won by scores of 20-25, 17-25, 25-23, 25-21, and 15-6.

Wofford improves to 14-11 overall and 8-5 in league matches while WCU drops to 10-14 and 6-7.

Gebel recorded her team-leading 15^th double-double of the year with 17 kills and 13 digs. Classmate Haley Multerer had a season-high 14 kills, finishing one kill shy of tying a career-best. Senior MaKenzie White and freshman Bailey Hartsough both finished with 11 kills. Senior Sydney Carlson dished out 46 assists, one shy of tying a career-best. Sophomore Destinee Dorsey was credited with a team-best 25 digs.

Sarah MacLean led Wofford with 15 kills followed by Bella Zeman with 13 and Sarah Barham with 10. Kaitlyn Brown led four Terriers in double-digit digs with 24. Emily Hodsdon distributed a match-best 54 assists.

Trailing 17-14 in the opening set, a Gebel kill sparked a 9-0 run capped by a Multerer kill for a 23-17 Catamount lead. Wofford took the next two points before an error gave WCU set point and after a Barham kill kept the set alive, Gebel closed out the set with a kill and gave the hosts a 1-0 lead in the match.

With the Catamounts holding an 18-17 lead in the second set, a Hartsough kill ignited a 7-0 WCU run to close out the set for a 2-0 advantage in the match.

The Terriers used a 6-1 run in the middle stages of the third set to take control of the frame as a block by Barham and Kelly Hubbard gave Wofford an 18-12 lead. The Catamounts battled back within one, 21-20, following a Gebel kill. Wofford answered with the next two points and took a 24-21 edge on a Zeman kill. The Catamounts didn't go quietly, pulling within one, 24-23, following an error before a WCU error clinched the set.

Wofford used a 3-0 run for a 15-12 lead at the fourth set media timeout. After a Gebel kill brought the hosts within a point, 17-16, Wofford stretched its lead to 22-19 after consecutive Catamount errors. A Hubbard kill wrapped up the set and tied the match at 2.

After the teams traded the lead three times with four ties early in the fifth set, a Mary Emily Morgan kill broke a 4-4 tie and sparked a 4-1 Terrier run for a 9-5 lead. The Catamounts would get no closer the rest of the way.

WCU concludes its 2021 home schedule on Saturday, hosting Furman at 7 p.m. in the second half of a doubleheader with the Catamount football team. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.

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