Furman at Chattanooga Oct. 23, 2010 Chattanooga, Tenn. (Maclellan Gym) Team 1 2 3 4 5 Score Furman 25 24 20 19 17 3 Chattanooga 25 26 25 25 15 2

Furman (13-9, 7-3) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Chandler Ambrester 20-0-3; Alexis Shaffer 16-0-4; Kelly Kirby 14-3-2; Caroline Adams 13-0-1; Katherine Hall 13-0-3; Natalie Braun 12-1-0; Carolyn Nicoletti 1-1-0; Elle Ross 0-1-0; Totals 89-6-7.0. (Assists) - Kelly Kirby 51; Sarah McCarthy 12. (Dig leaders) - Elle Ross 17; Chandler Ambrester 15; Natalie Braun 13; Kelly Kirby 9 Chattanooga (9-17, 4-6) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Meagan Ernd 20-0-1; Heather Parman 18-0-0; Ellie Kuhn 10-0-5; Courtney Barnes 9-1-5; Christina Teter 6-0-2; Jessica Scott 1-1-1; Bailee Chastain 1-0-5; Kirsten Beasley 1-0-0; Totals 66-2-12.0. (Assists) - Bailee Chastain 52. (Dig leaders) - Paula Passmore 29; Bailee Chastain 9; Heather Parman 8; Kirsten Beasley 8

Match Notes -

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Sophomore outside Meagan Ernd (Munster, Ind.) registered a career-high 20 kills without an error compiling a .542 attack percentage as the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga volleyball team fell in five sets to Furman, 3-2 (25-17, 24-26, 20-25, 25-19, 17-15), on Sunday at Maclellan Gym. The Lady Mocs had three match points in the fifth set, but were unable to put the contest away, even though Chattanooga played its most consistent match of the season recording a .337 attacking percentage with just nine mistakes.

"I think both of our outsides were very impressive on the front line," said head coach Lisa Rhodes. "Meagan [Ernd] was unstoppable and probably had the match of her career and Heather [Parman] was very impressive on the outside as well. We had a shot being up 14-12, but missed a serve at a crucial moment in the match and still had an opportunity. Then, we made an overpass [off the serve] and it was back even again. We just were unable to finish off the match.

The other outside for Chattanooga, sophomore Heather Parman (Ooltewah, Tenn.), notched a career-high 18 kills on the afternoon in another impressive hitting performance, only committing one error for a .412 percentage.

"Anytime that we are hitting at that high of a percentage against a team like Furman, I am happy with the team's play," said Rhodes. "It came down to the wire and was a great match for our fans to watch. Of course, it is a match that I wish we could have taken the win because we played hard enough and well enough."

The Lady Mocs started the contest with strong middle play as junior Ellie Kuhn (San Antonio, Texas) posted 10 kills, while senior Courtney Barnes (Franklin, Tenn.) added nine. The duo was big at the net as well with each posting five blocks along with Chastain.

Setting up the attack was senior setter Bailee Chastain (Chattanooga, Tenn.) dishing out a season-high 52 assists and contributed on the defensive end with nine digs.

Leading the match for the Lady Mocs in digs was sophomore libero Paula Passmore (Merritt Island, Fla.), who posted her second-straight 29 dig performance.

"I just thought that we had our defense playing well," said Ernd. "We were picking up balls. Our middles were playing well, which opened up opportunities for the outsides and right sides."

Chattanooga (9-17, 4-6) paced the match in digs with 68, blocks with 12 and posted a season-high hitting percentage at .337. On the other hand, Furman (13-9, 7-3) recorded more kills and assists than the Lady Mocs during the contest that saw 26 ties and nine lead changes.

The first set was all Furman as it notched 21 kills with three errors on way to a 25-17 victory. The Lady Mocs tallied just nine kills along with two mistakes.

In the second set, the Chattanooga team that has been difficult to play on its home floor showed up and forced nine Paladine mistakes. Both teams notched 15 kills, but the Lady Mocs' consistency paid off, only committing a single error.

With the match tied at 20-all, Ernd and a Furman miscue provided a two-point lead. Chattanooga would extend it to three, 24-21 on another kill by Ernd, but the Paladines would fight back to knot it at 24. Then, a block by Barnes and Chastain and an opponent's mistake gave the Lady Mocs the 26-24 win after recording 16 kills on just a single mistake.

The third set started with the teams trading the first six points before a block by Barnes and sophomore Christina Teter and kills by Teter and Ernd put the Lady Mocs on top, 6-3. Chattanooga would maintain a four-point lead for most of the sent until Furman scored four-straight to knot it at 16-all.

Following a Chattanooga timeout, a block by Furman gave them the lead for the first time in the set. The Lady Mocs would tie it at 17 and 18-all before closing the set on a 7-2 run on five kills by Parman and two blocks, 25-20.Chattanooge would connect on 16 kills during the set for a .395 attacking percentage.

"I just remember block covering Meagan [Ernd] and her just getting kill after kill after kill," said Parman. "They just could not stop her. Paula [Passmore] was all over the place and Bailee's [Chastain] sets were really good."

Furman began the fourth set on a roll jumping out to a 10-5 advantage and would keep at least a three-point lead throughout the set. With the Paladines up 24-16, the Lady Mocs gained some confidence earning three points on kills by Ernd and Barnes before falling, 25-19.

In the final frame, the first six points went back and forth, but Furman would take a 5-3 lead on a kills by Adams. The Lady Mocs would rally back and take a 6-5 lead on a kill by Parman and block from Chastain and Kuhn.

Chattanooga would build its lead to three, 10-7, when the Paladines fought back to within a point at 11-10. The Lady Mocs would go on a run of their own to take a 14-12 lead on kills by Parman and Ernd. With serving for match point, the Lady Mocs were unable to come through as Furman tied it at 14-all.

A kill by Kuhn provided the Lady Mocs with another opportunity, but the Paladines would not be denied in registered a kill and block to close out the match at 17-15. Furman registered 15 kills during the set on only a single error, while Chattanooga had 11.

The Lady Mocs finish up their final mid-week match of the season and the second volleyball installment of the Southern Rail Rivalry Series against Samford on Wednesday night in Birmingham, Ala. The first serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. Eastern and it a pivotal match for both teams seeking a berth into the Southern Conference Tournament in Boone, N.,C.

Chattanooga returns to Maclellan Gym on Saturday to host Elon at 6 p.m. following the Mocs football game against the Phoenix that begins at 2 p.m. at Finley Stadium. The Lady Mocs return to the court the following day at 5 p.m. against UNCG with the match beginning at 6 p.m.