MILWAUKEE ? The 26th season of UTC volleyball got off to a rocky start Friday, as the Lady Mocs fell to the Lady Vols of Tennessee in straight sets, 3-0 in the opening match of the Marquette Kickoff Classic in Milwaukee. The Lady Vols defeated the Lady Mocs 25-13, 25-14, and 25-18 to put UTC at 0-1 on the season.
Senior libero Lara Newberry led all players with 17 digs on the afternoon. Newberry now creeps closer to the NCAA's all-time digs leader, needing 376 more to break the record. Junior Ashley Yeager led the Lady Mocs offensively with five kills, and led both teams with 34 total attacks, while junior Cassie Conner led UTC with 11 assists.
For the Lady Vols, Nikki Fowler led with 13 kills, while Chloe Goodman had a team-best 10 digs. Tennessee used their tall front line to their advantage, turning in and 13 team blocks, to UTC's four.
"We showed some very positive signs, especially in the second set," Head Coach Lisa Rhodes said. "In the first set, we came out a little scared, but I think we overcame those first-game jitters, and played with a lot more poise in the last two sets."
In the first set, the Lady Vols jumped out to a 7-0 lead, and took the first set 25-13. Senior libero Lara Newberry had 11 digs in the first frame, which led all players, while Aurore "Loo" Kullak, and Ashley Yeager led the Lady Mocs with three kills apiece. Redshirt freshman Jessica Scott, starting in her first game for UTC, recorded the first two kills of her career, as well as her first service ace.
In the second set, the Lady Mocs played within five of Tennessee to the 16-11 point, but the Lady Vols ran away from UTC to win 25-14. In the set, Yeager led all players with 11 total attacks, and Newberry led both teams with six digs.
In the third set, Chattanooga jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, but the Lady Vols fought back to eventually tie the match at 7-apiece. The game remained tight throughout the remainder of the set before the Lady Vols pulled away to take the match 25-18. Lady Mocs freshmen Stephanie Harville and Ellie Kuhn recorded their first career kills in the set.
Next up for the Lady Mocs will host-school Marquette at 1:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday. Chattanooga will play Houston following that match-up at 5:30 p.m. EDT, to wrap up the tournament for UTC.
