COLUMBIA, S.C. – Trailing Clemson two sets to one and down 19-13 in set four, Furman (2-3) rallied with a 12-3 run to force a fifth set, then downed the Tigers 17-15 to win the Paladins' first match of the Carolina Classic. The win marks Furman's third-straight over the ACC's Tigers. 

Annie Bierman paced the Paladins against Clemson (3-2), turning in 17 kills, 12 digs and three blocks, while Ashton Stocker totaled 45 assists and 5 kills. Middle blockers Carris Campbell and Taina Joseph combined for 27 kills and eight blocks, and it was Nicole Mack who served the Paladins on a 10-0 run in the fourth set versus the Tigers.

The teams traded three-point runs in the first set, before Clemson closed it out with kills by Campbell, Joseph, and Anna Parsons to take set one from the Tigers, 28-26, for a 1-0 match lead. Clemson held Furman to hitting percentages below .100 in both the second and third sets, winning 25-17 and 25-20, for a 2-1 match lead.

The Paladins called a timeout down 18-12 in set four, before the teams traded service errors to give the Tigers a 19-13 lead. Then, Mack served 10 points in a row, capitalizing on Clemson errors to rally Furman to a 23-19 lead. Clemson cut Furman's lead to two at 24-22, but the Paladins got a kill from Mack to take it, 25-22, and force a deciding fifth set.

Clemson jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the fifth set, but the Paladins then went on an 8-1 run to grab an 11-8 lead and force a Tiger timeout. Clemson used a 5-2 run of its own to tie the set at 13, before the teams traded points and the Tigers tied the set at 15. Furman then used a Clemson service error and a kill by Carris Campbell to win set five, 17-15, and the match, 3-2.

Earlier on Saturday, Furman fell to this year's tournament-host South Carolina, 3-0. The Gamecocks used a late 5-1 run to take set one, 25-22, took set two, 25-19, and held off a late Furman rally to take set three, 25-23. Bierman again led the Paladins with 12 kills and 12 digs versus the Gamecocks.

Furman is back in action on Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m., taking on Winthrop in a game originally schedule for Friday.

Chandler Carver, Sports Information