Courtesy: GoMocs.com Junior middle Christina Teter led the Mocs with four blocks, while adding 10 kils.

Connecticut vs. Chattanooga Sept. 16, 2011 Blacksburg, Va. (Cassell Coliseum) Team 1 2 3 Score Chattanooga 23 23 23 0 Connecticut 25 25 25 3

Chattanooga (1-10) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Jennifer Kuroski 11-0-1; Christina Teter 10-2-4; Heather Parman 6-2-3; Jessi Blackstock 5-1-3; Aneisha Christie 2-0-4; Melissa Green 1-1-0; Tess Kosycarz 1-1-0; Bridget Camacho 1-1-0; Paula Passmore 0-1-0; Totals 37-9-9.0. (Assists) - Tess Kosycarz 18; Bridget Camacho 10. (Dig leaders) - Paula Passmore 19; Melissa Green 11 Connecticut (7-4) (Kills-aces-blocks) - QUAYLE, Mattison 11-0-1; KIRK, Jordan 9-2-2; WATTLES, Jackie 7-0-2; NICKEL, Allison 5-0-1; MAUGLE, Devon 3-0-0; ROIDT, Angela 2-0-0; RATLIFF, Karson 2-0-0; DATTI, Brianna 0-1-0; Totals 39-3-3.0. (Assists) - ROIDT, Angela 32. (Dig leaders) - MAVING, Kelsey 21; KIRK, Jordan 15; MAUGLE, Devon 9

Match Notes -

BLACKSBURG, Va. - The Chattanooga Mocs volleyball team fell in straight sets to Connecticut (7-4), 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-23), in the opening match of the Hilton Garden Hokie Invitational on Friday afternoon. The teams battled to 24 ties and eight lead changes during the match as the Mocs (1-10) had their opportunities towards the end of each set, but were unable to convert on them.

"To be in a match and play with a Big East opponent is one thing, but to be competitive for every single point is another," stated head coach Travis Filar. "I thought we did that and played really hard, but a part of playing with that effort is to be really focused and disciplined.

"After getting to 20 points in a close and tight match, we just have to find a way to close those sets," said Filar. "Right now, we have not been able to make enough plays, when it matters most. In this match, it is a credit to Connecticut because they made enough plays to win it at the end."

The Mocs were led by sophomore outside Jennifer Kuroski (Acworth, Ga.) with 11 kills, while junior right side Christina Teter (Signal Mountain, Tenn.) hit double-figures with 10. It was the seventh-straight match that the Acworth, Ga., native posted double-digit kills.

Adding six kills was junior outside Heather Parman (Ooltewah, Tenn.) along with sophomore outside Jessi Blackstock (Killen, Ala.), who found the floor five times.

Sophomore setter Tess Kosycarz (Temecula, Calif.) ran the Mocs' offense in the first two frames tallying 18 assists. The third set was run by classmate Bridget Camacho (Cumming, Ga.), who notched 10 assists.

"We made improvements from last weekend till tonight," said Filar. "We out-blocked them, which was huge. We worked on our blocking this week during practice. We are making improvements on what we are working on, but it is just a matter of having everything come together consistently at one point. I think that magical moment will happen soon."

Chattanooga out-blocked the Huskies, 9-3, during the contest and were led by sophomore middle Aneisha Christie (Alpharetta, Ga.) and Teter with four each. Contributing three blocks each were Parman and Blackstock.

Defensively, junior libero Paula Passmore (Merritt Island, Fla.) registered a team-high 19 digs, while freshman defensive specialist Melissa Green (Boca Raton, Fla.) notched 11.

Leading UConn was Mattison Quayle with 11 kills, Angela Riodt with 32 assists and Kelsey Maving with a match-high 21 digs.

The first set begin with the Huskies coming out to a 16-11 lead before Teter converted on a kill for a side out and helped the Mocs from the service line to come within one after an ace and kill from Kuroski and Kosycarz. Chattanooga tied the frame at 17, 18 and 18 before UConn posted back-to-back points.

"We know that she has a great serve," said Filar on the sevice of Teter. "She has worked on it, because it puts a lot of pressure on our opponent. Not only Teter, but the team as a whole did a great job today. I will take nine service aces to 10 service errors in every match because it gives us an opportunity to win. The problem is that we are missing our serves at crucial times."

With a solo block from Blackstock, the Mocs knotted the set at 21. A kill from Teter made it 23-all, but the Huskies were able to win the first set, 25-23. Chattanooga out-killed, dug and blocked the Huskies during the frame.

Riding the momentum of coming back in the first, the Mocs raced out to a 4-1 lead before the Huskies battled to a six-all tie. From there, the teams played back and forth as nine ties and five lead changes were witnessed by the crowd at Cassell Coliseum.

After the Mocs built a three-point lead, UConn took advantage a couple of mistakes to score five-straight and take a 22-20 lead. The Huskies did not look back from there taking the set 25-23.

Coming out of a shortened break, the Mocs rallied to a 6-1 lead on kills by Blackstock and Christie along with a block by Teter. UConn would not go down without a fight as it tied up the frame at eight. No team gained a lead larger than three from there until the Huskies pulled ahead 22-19.

Following kills from Camacho and Blackstock on match point for the Huskies, UConn closed it out with a 25-23 victory.

"It is just finding a way to win," said Filar on learning to close out a set. "It doesn't have to be pretty and can be ugly or beautiful volleyball, but it is about finding a way to win when you get to that point. We have been unable to have players consistently step up in those moments and make those plays, but I know we are close."

The Mocs return to action on Saturday with an 11 a.m. contest with host Virginia Tech in the final match for Chattanooga at the Hilton Garden Hokie Invitational. Links to live stats and a free live audio broadcast can be found on the volleyball schedule page of GoMocs.com.