BIRMINGHAM ? Thanks to career performances from
Jessica Scott and
Bailee Chastain, the Chattanooga Lady Mocs volleyball team notched its fourth victory of the season Friday night, as UTC knocked off Alabama A&M, 3-1 in the first day of the UAB/Samford Invitational. The Lady Mocs took the match, 26-24, 25-27, 25-20, and 25-16, and are now 4-8 on the season. With the victory, UTC finishes the first day of the tournament 1-1. In its first game of the day, the Lady Mocs fought valiantly, but fell to an extremely tough Florida International team, 3-0.
In the team's victory, Scott and Chastain posted double-digit kills for the Lady Mocs. Scott finished with a career-best 14, while Chastain posted a personal high of 10. Both players also contributed on the defensive side of the ball with ten digs apiece. Those two weren't the only ones involved in the offense as six other players notched kills for UTC. As a team, Chattanooga committed only 17 errors, and had a hitting percentage of .273. ?
Michaela Huff and
Cassie Conner both had solid days with 28, and 19 assists, respectively.
Lara Newberry continued her defensive excellence with a match-high 22 digs.?
After splitting the first two sets in the match, the Lady Mocs would put the pesky Bulldogs away by taking sets three and four. The third set did not come easy though as the Lady Mocs found itself nodded at 14 halfway through. The Lady Mocs would then break the tie thanks to an A&M error, and wouldn't trail for the remainder of the set, as UTC took a 2-1 lead with the 25-20 win. In the fourth, and what would be the final set, the Lady Mocs set the tone with a Scott kill to open the set, and would not look back as UTC took the set convincingly 25-16.?
In the Lady Mocs first match of the day, UTC saw the Golden Panthers barely scrape by in the first set, 25-23, and was able to pull away in the remaining sets, 25-17 and 25-14. Florida International was led by Yarimar Rosa, who finished with a match-high 22 kills, as FIU high-powered offense hit .350 on the day. The victory did not come easy though, as the Lady Mocs came very close to taking the first frame from FIU. Both teams remained close through the early stages of the match until UTC took the lead from the Golden Panthers. Chattanooga would go ahead by five at 18-13 mark, but FIU would slowly begin its comeback. Florida International would tie it up at 22-all, and were then able to pull ahead for the narrow escape.?
Courtney Barnes tied a season-high with 9 kills, and did not commit an error, as the sophomore posted a .643 hitting percentage.
Aurore Kullak finished second on the team with eight kills in the match, while
Michaela Huff led the team with 11 assists. Newberry once again led the team in digs, with eight.?
The Lady Mocs will wrap up its stay in Birmingham Saturday, as UTC will take on Memphis at 5 p.m. EDT.
