SPARTANBURG - The Panthers opened day one of the Terrier Invite with a five-set loss to Presbyterian and a three-set loss to tournament host, Wofford.
 
The first match of the day was the second meeting of the season between the Blue Hose and the Panthers. Despite three Panthers notching double-digit kills, the Panthers lost in a close five-set battle.
 
The Blue Hose were wide awake for the early morning match and came out swinging, taking an early 8-2 lead over the Panthers in set one. Isabelle Percoco would get first kill of the day from an amazing Erin Wyatt dig and Jenna Brown assist to help the Panthers begin their fight back. Wyatt continued her excellent defense, covering the block to lead to a Julianna Truscott kill to cut the lead to two at 13-11. Libero, Livy Kowalkowski, notched a kill herself to tie it up 14 all. Eva Wheeler saved a kill with a nice dig, before Izzy Durnell would cross court for the kill to bring the Panthers back within one at 19-18. Brown did what she has been doing all season and served an ace to tie it up at 21-all. The Panthers held set point at 24-23 but could not close after the Blue Hose pushed to extra points. The Blue Hose took set one 27-25.
 
Percoco got things started for the Panthers in the second set with a block, before a Durnell kill would begin a mini-run. Wheeler dumped it over the kill to increase the Panthers lead to five at 14-9. The Blue Hose were able to take the lead after a series of miscues by the Panthers, but a Laura Ehieze block tied it up at 21-all. A tough serve by Percoco had the Blue Hose out of system and ultimately led to a Clara Bednarek kill. The Panthers won set two 29-27.
 
Set three began with a series of errors from both team before the Blue Hose ran away with the set 25 - 13.
 
Wyatt put one down off a Brown assist for the first points of set four. Ehieze followed suit and got her sixth kill of the match to give the Panthers the early lead. After the Blue Hose were able to take the lead, excellent serving by Brown brought the Panthers back in it. Durnell found a hole and gave the Panthers a point advantage with a soft kill. Truscott notched her tenth kill of the match after slamming one down, putting the Panthers up 22-18. Wyatt continued the big swings and found center court right after. A Blue Hose serve sailed out of bounds and the Panthers won set four 25 – 20.
 
Evoni Lemons saw her first two kills of the day in beginning of set five, putting the Panthers on the board at 3-1. Bednarek would push one down and the Panthers went 7-6. Brown dished out an ace and Ehieze would get another kill to give a three-point lead at 11-8. The Blue Hose would go on a six-point run to earn match point at 14 - 11. The Panthers saved the first match point, before Lemons and Ehieze would go up big and deny the Blue Hose victory on their second match point. Ryan Spicer-Gordon served an ace to tie the match at 14-all, however the Blue Hose would go on to win the fifth set 16 – 15.
 
Wyatt recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 11 kills and 11 digs. Truscott recorded her fourth double-digit kill performance with 11. Bednarek was the third Panther with 11 kills. The middle blocker would also tack four blocks including one solo. Ehieze recorded seven kills and six blocks including four solos. Brown dished out 25 assists and three aces, while Wheeler notched 18 assists. Defensive specialist, Ryan Spicer-Gordon, recorded a season-high 13 digs and libero Kowalkowski matched her season-high of 27.
 
The nightcap of day one featured the Panthers versus the tournament-host, Wofford Terriers. Wyatt got the set started with two points off a kill and an ace. The lead at 4-3 would be the last of the set for the Panthers. Back-to-back blocks by Bednarek would bring the Panthers within one at 18-17. A Wyatt kill and Brown ace saved two set points, the Terriers were able to close and won the set 25-21.
 
Ehieze and Truscott opened set two with a block as Jenna Brown continued to be a threat from the service line. Bednarek continued to be big at the nets, going up for back-to-back blocks again, closing the gap on the Terriers to five. Wyatt also went up for a shut-down block, but the Terriers did not back down winning the set 25-22.  The Terriers ran away with the third set and ultimately the match victory 25-14.
 
Wyatt led the Panthers with six kills, two solo blocks, one ace, and three digs. Bednarek recorded four solo blocks and four kills. Brown had 18 assists in the three sets alongside two aces. Ehieze and Durnell  put down five kills, while Lemons and Truscott had four apiece.
 
The Panthers close out day two of the Terrier Invite tomorrow at 11 a.m. against South Carolina State.