TROY, Ala. --- The Chattanooga Mocs volleyball team battled hard in a tough 3-1 (25-21, 22-25, 25-17, 25-15) loss to Jacksonville on the final day of the Troy Invitational on Saturday afternoon inside Trojan Arena.
 
Following the loss, Chattanooga drops to 2-5 overall. Jacksonville improves to 1-4 overall in the early 2019 season.
 
BOX SCORE » Jacksonville 3, Chattanooga 1
S1 | JU 25, UTC 21
Jacksonville grabbed an early 5-3 lead before Chattanooga responded with a quick 4-0 run, highlighted by a pair of Dani Szczepanski kills, to gain a 7-5 edge. The teams found themselves locked at 9-9 before the Dolphins used a 6-1 run to build a 16-10 lead, forcing UTC into a timeout.
 
Gylian Finch provided a trio of kills during a 7-3 run which allowed the Mocs to pull within three at 20-17. Two kills from Sarah Root and a couple unforced tightened up the deficit at 23-21 before the Dolphins finished the opening set off with back-to-back points, claiming a 25-21 set win.
 
S2 | UTC 25, JU 22
The Dolphins started quick after their opening set win, scoring seven of the first 10 points to take an early 7-3 lead. A tandem block from Szczepanski and Brianna Anderson capped off a lengthy 10-2 run, putting UTC ahead 13-9.
 
The teams would go point-for-point to bring the score to 17-13 ahead of a Jacksonville timeout. After the break, Chattanooga extended its lead to seven, 22-15, after a pair of aces and a couple kills. JU made a late push with a 6-1 run to climb within two, 23-21, but an attack error and an Anderson kill earned UTC a 25-22 set decision.
 
S3 | JU 25, UTC 17
Another fast start from Jacksonville allowed for a 6-1 lead before Chattanooga bounced back with six-straight points to pull ahead 7-6. The Mocs built on the momentum and scored six of the next eight points, on the help of three Anderson kills, to lead by four, 13-9.
 
Trailing 15-13, Jacksonville ripped off eight unanswered points, forcing six UTC errors and a timeout in the process, to re-gain the lead 21-15. Four of the final six points went to the Dolphins, finishing off the set 25-17.
 
S4 | JU 25, UTC 15
Chattanooga scored four of the set's first six to take a 4-2 lead before Jacksonville tied things at 5-5. The team traded the next eight points to remain tied, 9-9. A quick 5-0 burst from the Dolphins allowed for a 14-9 lead. Maia Rackel provided a kill and chipped in on a block with Sarah Root to bring the Mocs within two, 14-12.
 
The Dolphins would end the match on an 11-3 run from that point, earning a 25-15 set win and a 3-1 victory in the match.
 
Notable Match Performances: Bailey Bennett (33 assists, 11 digs, first career double-double); Brianna Anderson (10 kills, 12 digs, 4 aces); Maia Rackel (12 kills, 2.0 blocks); Dani Szczepanski (9 kills, .273%, 2.0 blocks); Megan Kaufman (15 digs, 2 aces); Gylian Finch (9 kills, 11 digs)

UP NEXT
Chattanooga opens up its 2019 home schedule next weekend with the annual Chattanooga Classic, Friday and Saturday, inside Maclellan Gym. Tennessee Tech, Manhattan and North Alabama join UTC as tournament participants. Admission is FREE and more information is located on the 'Tournament Centra' page, HERE.

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