GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Chattanooga Mocs' indoor volleyball team was unable to overcome a first-set loss to the UNCG Spartans on Friday evening inside Fleming Gym. The Spartans defeated the Mocs 3-1 (25-13, 21-25, 25-15, 25-19) to improve to 18-4 overall on the season. The match concluded four straight on the road for UTC. 

MATCH RECAP
SET 1 ∙ UNCG 25, UTC 15
SET 2 ∙ UTC 25, UNCG 21
SET 3 ∙ UNCG 25, UTC 15
SET 4 ∙ UNCG 25, UTC 19

As most matches this season have been for the Mocs, the beginning of the first set was back and forth with the two teams being tied at 10 through the first 20 points. With the two teams tied at 13, UNCG won six straight points with two kills, an ace and multiple errors as Chattanooga called timeout. The Spartans won the next six points out of the timeout to take the first set 25-13. The hosts hit .516 with 18 kills in the set. Chattanooga had 10 kills led by Kate Neill with four.

Like they did yesterday vs. Western Carolina, the Mocs started the second set strong, winning 9 of the first 13 points. The Spartans cut into the UTC lead and came back within two at 14-12. UNCG won three straight points to tie the set for the first time at 15 points apiece. The Spartans took their first lead at 17-16 but back-to-back kills from Gylian Finch and Maia Rackel gave the Mocs their lead back. The Mocs ended the set on a 6-1 run with three kills from Rackel, one from Finch and multiple UNCG errors.

The beginning of the third set was one of many runs. UNCG began the third set with four straight points but a quick response by the Mocs tied the frame at four. The Spartans used multiple 3-0 runs to take an 10-5 lead and force UTC to call its first timeout. UNCG kept its sizable lead throughout the second half of the set, taking the frame 25-15 after a 5-2 run capped off by Brittany Wood.

The fourth set began with four straight points by the Spartans again, but as they did in the third set, the Mocs battled back. The Spartans took its largest lead of the set at 10-5 and the Blue and Gold called their first timeout. Kills from Marcelle Baez-Carlo and Lauren Baker brought the Mocs within two. Following a UNCG timeout, the hosts won six straight points, giving them a 22-14 advantage. Chattanooga won four of the next five, but a kill from Grey Breen put the match away for the Spartans. UNCG held the Mocs to hitting below .050 in the final two sets.

Rackel paced the Mocs with 10 kills and finished one dig away from a double-double. She and Baez-Carlo led the team with four blocks apiece.

Finch was second on the squad with nine kills. She had two blocks and seven digs.

In just three sets, Baez-Carlo slotted eight kills, which was third among UTC players.

Paige Gallentine led the match with 15 digs. Liz Tomlin added six, while Sophia Bossong finished with seven. Bossong controlled the Mocs' offense with 33 digs.

UNCG had three players with double-digit kills, led by Kayla White with 17. Green led all players with a .565 clip, posting 14 kills on 23 swings with just one error.

The two teams combined for 24 blocks with the Spartans holding a 16-8 advantage in the category.

Notes

• After not winning the second set throughout the first half of the SoCon season, the Mocs have won the second set in consecutive matches.
• With four blocks, Rackel surpassed 200 in her career.

Series history
Chattanooga leads the all-time series 29-22.

Records – CHATTANOOGA (6-17, 2-8 SoCon) | UNCG (18-4, 7-2 SoCon)

Up next
The Mocs are back in Maclellan Gym next week as the Blue and Gold host Furman and The Citadel. The first match of the week is against the Paladins on Thursday at 6 p.m.  

MORE ABOUT CHATTANOOGA VOLLEYBALL
Watch "Mission First, Family Always" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8mOmxbzHk4&t=2s
Read "Mission First, Family Always" here: https://gomocs.com/news/2019/9/27/general-chatt-chats-mission-first-family-always.aspx?path=general

FOLLOW CHATTANOOGA VOLLEYBALL
Follow @GoMocsVB on Twitter & @GoMocsVolleyball on Instagram for the most up-to-date information and news regarding Chattanooga volleyball.