By: Omar K. Elmore, Senior Writer
The women’s volleyball team lost a tough four-setter to conference rivals Furman, falling to 0-1 in conference play and 9-5 overall.
500 fans, including Jerry Richardson himself, made an appearance at the first event in the new Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. Richardson was honored with a token golden ball before the first serve.
Several Wofford students painted up with the numbers of corresponding players. “The energy was incredible,” says Braden Tuttle ’20, who wore the number of Bella Santoro ’18 on his chest and back. “We were fighting for that front row an hour before the game.”
After winning the opening set 25-17, the Terriers dropped the next three sets 18-25, 16-25, and 19-25, respectively.
“That first set really set it off in the arena,” says Drew Copeland ’19. “Everyone was hype and on their feet the entire set.”
Wofford’s lost momentum from set one quickly turned Furman’s way in the second set. The Paladins came alive to take a 9-3 lead. Wofford chipped away at the lead, cutting it to two at 16-14 but Furman closed the set on a 9-4 run and evened the match at one apiece.
The shift in the game took place in the third set. With the score at 14-13, the Paladins ripped off an 11-3 run including the final 5 points of the set. After the set, many students left the game.
“You could really feel the energy drain out of the fans,” says Copeland. “I hope this isn’t a pattern for the students to give up on their team in the middle of a game.”
Copeland, who won Fan of the Year at the 2016-2017 BOSSCARS, was his usual self, dancing, screaming and leading chants. Wearing the number of Catie Cronister ‘20, the team leader in kills, Copeland kept the energy as high as he could with the reduced numbers.
“Even though people left, I think the event was great for the campus,” says Carter Rief ’19. “It felt weird not being in BenJo but the stadium is a spectacle.”
Rief refers to Benjamin Johnson arena, the campus’ old gym, which formerly housed volleyball and basketball. Affectionately known as “BenJo,” the arena has been retired as the official stadium for Wofford in favor of the new Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium.
Catie Cronister and Bijonae Jones ’19 both had 10 kills, leading the team. Kelly Bossert ’20 had nine kills and just two errors. Kara Shacklette ’20 logged eight kills and Colleen Reilly ’19 added seven of her own.
Taylor Gill, coming off a week in which she was named the SoCon Defensive Player of the Week, led the team with 12 digs; she recorded five assists. Jones had 10 digs of her own while King had eight. Lorissa King ‘19 and Kristen Seibert ‘21 had the majority of Wofford’s 48 assists in the contest with 26 and 13, respectively.
Wofford continued in-conference play at Mercer on Friday, Sept. 22, winning its first in-conference game with a 3-0 sweep. They also played at Samford on Saturday, Sept. 23., losing 3-1, making the in conference record 1-2, overall 10-6.
The Terriers return home on Wednesday, Sept. 27 to play The Citadel at 6 p.m.
“We will definitely be back to support,” says Copeland. “Paint and all.”
