CHATTANOOGA --- After nearly a full month of preseason training, the Chattanooga Mocs volleyball team is set to open the 2019 regular season at the StarkVegas Classic, in Starkville, Miss., this Friday and Saturday inside the Newell-Grissom Building on the campus of Mississippi State.
 
UTC joins a field consisting of Western Illinois and Mississippi Valley State, in addition to the tournament-hosts, Mississippi State. The Mocs face MSU at 1 p.m. ET and WIU at 6 p.m. ET on Friday before wrapping up against MVSU on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.
 
The season-opener against the Bulldogs will stream LIVE on SEC Network+ through the ESPN App platform. Links are available in this story and also on the schedule page.
 
Chattanooga is coming off an impressive performance in its exhibition match, a 3-0 sweep over Georgia State, which took place last Saturday in Maclellan Gym. UTC won the first three sets by scores of 25-14, 25-18 and 25-21 before agreeing to play the final two sets to allow extra preparation for the season opener this weekend.
 
Following the match, head coach Travis Filar was pleased with what he saw in the teams' first live action of the year heading into Starkville.
 
"It was a great start. There was great competition on both sides of the net and I couldn't be more excited about how we responded and how we played on our side of the net.
 
"I really like where this group is at heading into Mississippi State and I think we're really prepared to go out there and battle to start this 2019 campaign the right way," Filar concluded.
 
STARKVEGAS SCHEDULE & LINKS
Fri., Aug. 30 – at Mississippi State – 1 p.m. ET (WATCH) (STATS)
Fri., Aug. 30 – vs. Western Illinois – 6 p.m. ET (STATS)
Sat., Aug. 31 – vs. Miss. Valley St. – 1 p.m. ET (STATS)
 
CHATTANOOGA NOTES | VIEW
- Chattanooga opens a season against an SEC opponent for the first time since 2008 (Tennessee)… last win against SEC came back on September 17, 2016 (W, 3-2 vs. Ole Miss)… 0-5 all-time against MSU.
- UTC has won two of its last three season openers… swept Belmont last season in straight sets at Tennessee Classic.
- Second time traveling to Starkville for non-conference tournament… took two of three matches with straight-set wins over Mississippi Valley State and Stetson before falling in four sets to Mississippi State.
 
OPPONENT NOTES | MSU | WIU
- Mississippi State finished last season with a 5-26 overall mark and a 1-17 record in SEC play… returns nine letter winners to the 2019 roster… head coach Julie Darty enters her sixth season at the helm... former four-year starter at Mercer (2005-08).
- Western Illinois went 3-26 overall and 2-14 in The Summit League last year… the Fighting Leathernecks return 11 student-athletes including four starters… welcome five newcomers… first evermeeting between UTC and WIU.
- Mississippi Valley State is coming off a 6-27 overall and a 3-15 SWAC record season a year ago… eight letter winners are back for the Delta Devils in 2019.

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