ETSU and Wofford advance to the SoCon championship

No. 1 ETSU 3, No. 5 UNCG 1

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – No. 1 ETSU topped No. 5 UNCG in four sets in the first semifinal match of the Ingles SoCon Volleyball Championship inside Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville on Saturday. ETSU advances to the SoCon championship match for the first time since the 2019 season. A win for the Buccaneers on Sunday will give them their first SoCon tournament title in eight years.

ETSU scored the first three points of the contest, but UNCG would quickly even the score at 5-5. The two teams would split the next 10 points before the Buccaneers would get separation by going on a 5-1 run, punctuated by a kill from Isabelle Iosua.

The Bucs’ lead would eventually grow to eight points before the Spartans ended the rally with four straight points of their own, prompting a timeout by ETSU. The frame would go back-and-forth over the next few points before a service ace by first-team all-conference selection Whitley Rammel ended the set at 25-18, giving the Bucs a 1-0 lead in the match.

In the second set, UNCG got off to a good start, building a 10-6 advantage. The Spartans led 15-11 going into the media timeout after a pair of kills by all-freshman team performer Connore’ Siler-Nixon. After the break, UNCG would get its lead to 18-13 following a kill by McKenna Timmerman, leading to a timeout by ETSU.

The Spartans’ lead would increase to 22-15 before the Bucs took another timeout. Rammel got a kill out of the break, but UNCG’s momentum was not stopped as they would eventually win the frame, 25-18, following a kill by first-team all-conference selection Allie Sweet.

UNCG continued its strong play into the third frame, grabbing an early 6-1 lead. ETSU responded to eventually go ahead 10-9 on a kill by SoCon Player of the Year Makayla Bays, forcing an UNCG timeout.

The Buccaneers would move their lead to 18-14 before the Spartans began to rally back. UNCG would tie the set at 21-21 on a service ace by Kendall Lanclos and take the lead on the next point with a block from Gabby Seeds and Elenoa Sing, prompting an ETSU timeout.

After another point by the Spartans, the Bucs scored three straight to get to set point. Two kills by Sweet and a kill from Rammel knotted the frame at 25-25. ETSU would then get kills from Chloe Smith and Bays, ending the frame at 27-25 to give the Bucs a 2-1 advantage in the match.

In the fourth set, the squads split the opening 12 points. The Bucs would go on a run, getting a 12-8 lead before a timeout by the Spartans. Following the break, ETSU kept the pressure on, forcing another timeout after a kill by Sophia Davis made the score 17-11.

UNCG would not go away quietly, forcing a timeout from the top seed after two straight attack errors made the score 23-19. Three straight kills courtesy of Sweet and Seeds brought the Spartans within one at 23-22, prompting another timeout by the Bucs.

Sweet got a kill out of the break, tying the score at 23-23. Iosua’s kill on the next point put the Bucs one point away from victory. The next point was an attack error from the Spartans, which was challenged but the call stood, giving ETSU a 25-23 win in the fourth set.

Bays had a double-double, finishing with a team-high 20 kills and 11 digs. Smith recorded a season-high 19 kills, while Melanie Morris logged a match-high 18 digs for ETSU. Sweet had a double-double as well, logging a match-high 22 kills and 11 digs.

No. 3 Wofford 3, No. 2 Furman 0

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – No. 3 Wofford swept No. 2 Furman in the second semifinal match of the Ingles SoCon Volleyball Championship inside Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville. The Terriers will be playing for their third consecutive conference title on Sunday.

Wofford led throughout the opening set. The Terriers got out to an early 7-1 lead, bringing on a quick timeout by Furman. The Paladins would claw their way back into the frame, closing the gap to 12-11 following a kill by Grainne McGrath. Wofford scored six of the next seven points, going ahead 18-12 on a kill by second-team all-conference selection Chloe Smith. Furman used its second timeout of the set after that point.

The lead for the Terriers remained above six for the remainder of the frame. Maddy Frazier’s first kill of the contest ended the set, 25-17, in favor of Wofford.

Wofford had a good start again in the second set, leading 15-12 at the media timeout. Furman went on a run after the break, evening the score at 17-17 on an ace by McGrath. The Terriers took their first timeout of the contest at that point.

The squads split the next six points before Wofford scored two straight, leading to a timeout by Furman. The Paladins got within one on two different occasions, but a service error gave the Terriers a 25-23 victory in the second set.

In the third set, the two teams went back-and-forth at the outset. They split the opening 24 points before Wofford scored three of the next four points, punctuated by a kill from first-team all-conference selection Bradley Brown prior to the media timeout.

Furman would tie the score at 16-16. The Terriers would get on another run, going up 22-18 following a kill from Smith, which made the Paladins take a timeout. Furman trimmed the lead to 23-21 after Tennyson Gorman and Izzy Castelloe combined for a block, prompting a timeout from Wofford.

After the break, the Terriers got kills from Smith and Brown to end the contest.

Smith logged a match-high 15 kills. Taylor Pecht led all players with 25 assists for Wofford. Castelloe led the Paladins in kills with 10.

2025 Southern Conference Volleyball Championship
Asheville, North Carolina (Harrah’s Cherokee Center - Asheville)

Thursday, Nov. 20
First Round
Match 1: No. 8 Western Carolina 3, No. 9 The Citadel 0

Friday, Nov. 21
Quarterfinals
Match 2: No. 5 UNCG 3, No. 4 Chattanooga 1
Match 3: No. 1 ETSU 3, No. 8 Western Carolina 0
Match 4: No. 2 Furman 3, No. 7 Mercer 1
Match 5: No. 3 Wofford 3, No. 6 Samford 0

Saturday, Nov. 22
Semifinals
Match 6: No. 1 ETSU 3, No. 5 UNCG 1
Match 7: No. 3 Wofford 3, No. 2 Furman 0

Sunday, Nov. 23
Championship
Match 8: No. 1 ETSU vs. No. 3 Wofford, 4 p.m.