CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Opening Southern Conference play, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga volleyball team had two match points, but Elon bounced back each time in recording the 3-2 (20-25, 22-25, 26-24, 26-28, 16-14) victory. Outside hitters freshman Kirsten Beasly (Amarillo, Texas) and sophomore Laura Brock (Chattanooga, Tenn.) each set career highs in digs and kills, while posting their fourth and fifth double-doubles of the season. Brock generated a match-high 17 kills and 19 digs, while Beasley had 16 kills and 21 digs.
In sets three and five, the Lady Mocs (8-5, 0-1) had match points at 24-23 and 14-11, but were unable to close out the Phoenix. A total of 34 tie scores, 14 lead changes and numerous long rallies were created by Chattanooga and Elon (13-1, 1-0) providing a very competitive match.
Chattanooga played sound defensively by digging up 122 attacks and were led by freshman libero Paula Passmore (Merrrit Island, Fla.) with a career-high 34 digs. Elon recorded a 110 digs in the match with Ali Deatsh having a match-high 39.
Sophomore right side Stephanie Harville (Morristown, Tenn.) and junior middle blocker Courtney Barnes each hit double-digits in kills with 12 and 13, respectively. Sophomore middle blocker Ellie Kuhn (San Antonio, Texas) recorded a career-high 9 blocks along with six kills.
For most of the match, Chattanooga ran a 6-2 allowing setters junior Bailee Chastain (Signal Mountain, Tenn.) and senior Cassie Connor (Willow Spring, Ill.) to record 61 assists between them and each of them notching a double-double. Both setters were very active defensively with each setting career-highs with Chastain having 16 digs and Conner had 12.
The Lady Mocs started quickly hitting .231 in the first set with 14 kills and only two errors, while the Phoenix had 10 errors. The pace continued in the second set, where Elon hit .293 only recorded 15 kills, but Chattanooga generated 18 kills on a .279 attacking percentage.
After the ten minute intermission, the Lady Mocs looked like they were going to close out Elon after coming back down 19-15 to tie the match at 23 and took the next rally to set up match point. It was not meant to be as Elon continued to challenge the young team and took the set 26-24.
In the fourth set, once again the Lady Mocs seemed to have an advantage on the scoreboard taking a 14-8 lead, but Elon was resilient in tying the frame up at 23-all. From there, the two squads traded points till a tie at 26 before two Elon kills handed Chattanooga a 28-26 loss.
The fifth set was different than the previous four as Elon took a 5-2 advantage in the best to 15, but this time Chattanooga fought back to take a 14-11 lead. There the Lady Mocs had match point, but two attack errors by Chattanooga and two Elon kills gave the Phoenix a 15-14 lead. At the end of the match, Elon was not to be stopped as Traci Stewart closed out the match with a kill.
Elon had four players with double-digit kills and five individuals tallying double-figures in digs. Jessica Barrow led the team with 14 kills, while Traci Stewart and Sarah Schermerhorn each added 13.
The Lady Mocs return to action tomorrow afternoon at 5 p.m. against UNC Greensboro in Maclellan Gym. Fans are encouraged to arrive early as parking will be a premium on campus because of the Susan G. Komen "Race for a Cure" event will be taking place starting at 2 p.m. from Mckenzie Arena.
ELON def. Chattanooga 20-25,22-25,26-24,28-26,16-14
ELON (13-1, 1-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Jessica Barrow 14-0-3; Sarah
Schermerhorn 13-0-7; Traci Stewart 13-0-5; Caroline Lemke 11-0-3;
Lauren Copenhagen 7-3-2; Megan McMahon 4-2-0; Emily Regan 2-0-0;
Lizzie West 1-2-0; Celia Eddy 0-0-1; Ali Deatsch 0-1-0; Totals
65-8-12.0. (Assists) - Megan McMahon 37; Emily Regan 15. (Dig leaders)
- Ali Deatsch 39; Traci Stewart 14; Lizzie West 13; Megan McMahon 12;
Lauren Copenhagen 11
Chattanooga (5-5, 0-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) - BROCK, Laura 17-0-3;
BEASLEY, Kirsten 16-0-2; BARNES, Courtney 13-1-2; HARVILLE, Stephanie
12-0-2; SCOTT, Jessica 7-0-2; KUHN, Ellie 6-0-9; CHASTAIN, Bailee
1-1-1; PASSMORE, Paula 0-1-0; Totals 72-3-11.0. (Assists) - CHASTAIN,
Bailee 35; CONNER, Cassie 26. (Dig leaders) - PASSMORE, Paula 34;
BEASLEY, Kirsten 21; BROCK, Laura 19; CHASTAIN, Bailee 16; CONNER,
Cassie 12; BARNES, Courtney 8
Site: Chattanooga Tenn. (Maclellan Gym)
Date: Sep 26, 2009 Attend: 194 Time: 2:38
Referees: Delroza Hughes, Harold Webber
