Greenville, S.C. – The Furman volleyball team dropped a 3-1 (25-27, 20-25, 25-16, 30-32) decision in SoCon play to the UNC Greensboro Spartans on Monday evening inside Alley Gymnasium.

Furman falls to 3-5 on the season and conference play, while UNC Greensboro improves to 2-8 overall and in the league.

Three Paladins finished with double-doubles in Katie Murphy (3^rd of the season), Maya Mrus (2^nd of the season) and Mikaela Schultz (2^nd of the season). Schultz led Furman offensively with a match-high 15 kills, also tying her career-high, and 10 digs. Murphy contributed 44 assists and 14 digs, while Mrus totaled 10 kills and 11 digs. Neci Harris provided 12 kills. Andrea Aceveda had a team-high 17 digs and Sarah Turner contributed 12.

Maria Esch had a double-double of 12 kills and 14 digs to lead the Spartans. Hannah Knier posted 12 kills while Brittany Wood and Grey Breen recorded 11 and 10 kills, respectively. Gabriela McHugh dished out 47 assists and Jenna Wiggs led all players with a match-high 25 digs. Mandy Garvens also had 13 digs.

The opening set featured 16 ties and six lead changes. Schultz posted a .714 hitting percentage with five kills on seven attempts and no attack errors. Neither team led by more than one for the first 19 points of the first set until Sydney Tanner put the Paladins ahead 11-9 with her kill. UNCG answered with four straight points to take a 13-11 lead. Furman led by as many as four points twice with the last coming at 21-17 on a kill by Schultz. The Spartans came back to sit at set point, 24-23, after a Paladin attack error, but would send the frame to extra points the following play with a service error. The teams traded the next two points before UNC Greensboro won the set 27-25 off a Furman attack error and kill by Garvens.

UNCG scored the first five points of the second set and built a 12-3 lead early after a combination block from Knier and McHugh. The Paladins made a late charge and trailed 19-15 after Courtney Hoffman registered a solo block. Furman would get as close as 22-19 when Harris recorded a kill. The Spartans picked up three of the last four points to win 25-20 following a Paladin service error.

Furman hit .333 as a team in the third set on 13 kills, winning the frame 25-16 and trimming its deficit down to 2-1. The Paladins jumped out to an 8-3 lead to begin the set that included five consecutive points behind the serving of Aceveda, forcing UNCG into a timeout. Furman would go ahead 13-5 several plays later after Harris, Schultz and Mrus scored four straight points. UNC Greensboro got as close as 18-13 after a kill by Knier. A solo block from Mrus gave the Paladins their largest lead of the set at 22-13. An attack error by the Spartans gave Furman the nine-point win.

UNCG recorded the first four points of the fourth set, which featured 17 ties, before the Paladins answered with a 9-4 run to take a 9-8 lead on a kill by Schultz. After the Spartans evened the score at 11-11, Furman used an 8-4 run to go in front 19-15 after a kill by Murphy. UNC Greensboro would come back and tie the score at 19-19 when McHugh connected on a kill. The teams exchanged the next 22 points capped when Mrus evened the score at 30-30 with her kill. UNCG picked up the final two points to win the set, 32-30, and capture the 3-2 match victory.

The Paladins concluded the match hitting .177 as a team and combined for 10 total blocks, highlighted by four each from Harris and Mrus (career-high).

Furman remains at home next week, March 7-8, to host Western Carolina.