CHATTANOOGA --- Opening up play in Maclellan Gymnasium for the first time this season, the Chattanooga Mocs volleyball team couldn't shake off a trio of mid-set slumps in a 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-19) loss to in-state rival ETSU on Friday night in Southern Conference play.

Chattanooga falls to 5-10 overall and 0-2 in early SoCon action. ETSU improves to 12-3 overall and a perfect 3-0 in the league standings.

BOX SCORE » ETSU 3, Chattanooga 0
» S1 | 25-21, ETSU
» S2 | 25-21, ETSU
» S3 | 25-19, ETSU

Looking to set the tone in the opening set, both teams struggled out of the gate and combined for seven errors in the first 16 points, playing to an 8-8 tie. UTC continued an erratic attack, allowing ETSU to run with seven of the next eight to amass a 15-9 deficit.

Chattanooga battled back to pull within three on two separate occasions, 20-17 and 21-18, on the help of six kills during the stretch. The Bucs responded with back-to-point points before closing the set out 25-21, taking a 1-0 lead in the match.

The second set opened up with three ties and a pair of lead changes in the first ten points, locking the score at 5-5. Leading 9-8, ETSU sandwiched a pair of kills around a successful block to build a 12-8 lead and force UTC into its first timeout.

The Mocs allowed seven kills during a slow stretch following the timeout, falling behind 18-12 ahead of calling for its second and final timeout of the set. Trying to claw its way back, UTC got within three at 24-21, but the charge was a little too late after a Bucs kill ended the second set, 25-21.

A true back-and-forth third set, nine ties and four lead changes gave way to a 13-13 score before ETSU created separation behind a 6-1 run and pulled ahead 19-14. UTC called timeout after the run and found itself within two at 19-17, but allowed six of the final eight points to ETSU, eventually falling 25-19 and 3-0 in the match.  
 
MATCH NOTABLES
- Chattanooga falls to 5-10 overall and 0-2 in SoCon play… currently sits on a five-match losing skid after winning three-straight in the Chattanooga Classic.
- Defense has surrendered a .300%+ attacking percentage in two SoCon matches this year… .366% to Samford last week and .317% to ETSU tonight… first time allowing consecutive .300%+ to SoCon opponents since Oct. 29 & 31, 2014 (at SAM, at WCU).
- Senior Dani Szczepanski finished with 11 kills at a .350% attacking percentage… extends career-long eight-straight match streak with 10+ kills… 162 kills at .325% for the season… career .303% still ranks fourth all-time at UTC.

UP NEXT
Chattanooga (5-10, 0-2 SoCon) looks to 'GREEN OUT' Maclellan Gymnasium tomorrow during a 6 p.m. matchup against Western Carolina (9-7, 3-0 SoCon) to help raise awareness for both Mental Health and Bone Marrow Donation. The match will be streamed LIVE on SoCon Digital Network with links available on the schedule page.

#SoConnected
The Saturday match wraps up this week's Southern Conference #SoConnected social media campaign, which has promoted awareness towards Mental Health to help end the stigma surrounding it in student-athletes and students nationwide. Follow @GoMocsSAAC on Twitter and Instagram to recap Chattanooga Athletics' drive over the last few days while learning more information about the resources in the Chattanooga area to help aid mental health.

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