CHATTANOOGA – The Chattanooga Mocs' indoor volleyball team looks to end its preseason campaign on a high note as they travel to Hattiesburg, Miss. for the final three matches before Southern Conference competition begins. UTC will face Lamar and Eastern Kentucky on Friday, Sept. 17 and play host Southern Mississippi on Saturday.
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
Friday, Sept. 17
Chattanooga vs. Lamar – 11 a.m.
Chattanooga vs. Eastern Kentucky – 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 18
Chattanooga at Southern Miss – 2 p.m.
Live video will be available for a fee at CUSA.tv. For all links, head to GoMocs.com
CHATTANOOGA
Chattanooga (3-7) is coming off their second three-match losing skid of the season. The Blue and Gold fell to Tennessee Tech, Virginia Tech and Troy last weekend at the Chattanooga Classic. The Mocs took the Chattanooga Classic champion Hokies to five sets, falling in the fifth, 15-11.
TEAM LEADERS
Offensively, UTC is led by
Maia Rackel who is hitting .268 with 3.59 kills per set. Her 140 kills this season is second among Southern Conference players. Defensively at the net,
Marcelle Baez-Carlo has shined in her first year in Blue and Gold. The freshman from Puerto Rico leads the team with 50 blocks, averaging 1.47 per set. She also has a team-high 11 aces and offensively has recorded 37 kills. In the back row,
Paige Gallentine has started every match as the Mocs' libero. After a stellar freshman season, she's averaging 4.64 digs per set with 181 this season. The second-year libero has five aces and 28 assists.
WHERE THEY STAND IN THE SOCON
After being in the top five in most SoCon categories prior to the Chattanooga Classic, the Mocs have fallen in SoCon statistical rankings. UTC is top-four in the league in blocks and digs. The Mocs are one of four teams averaging two or more blocks per set (2.08) and one of four with 15.69 digs/set (15.69).
Individually, Rackel is fourth in the SoCon with 3.59 kills/set and is sixth with a .268 attack clip. Gallentine is third in the league with 4.64 digs per set.
COME TO THE BLOCK PARTY
Chattanooga has been strong defensively at the net this season. The Mocs are averaging 2.08 blocks per set led by
Marcelle Baez-Carlo with 1.47. Two weeks ago vs. Toledo, she became the first Moc with 10 block assists since 1998 and the first UTC player with 11 blocks since Kelley Smith had 14 in 2003.
SETTING THE OFFENSE
UTC's setter,
Sophia Bossong, has started every match this season as the Mocs' setter. She has 328 assists and 8.41 per set this season. Last weekend, the Mocs began running a 6-2 with freshman setter
Abby Ekeler joining the mix. In three matches, Ekeler totalled 19 assists and 19 digs.
C-USA, THE WAC AND ASUN
Southern Miss is the first team the Mocs will face from Conference USA this season; the SoCon is 1-2 against the conference with its lone win coming in ETSU's 3-1 victory over Old Dominion. The Mocs are 0-1 against teams from the WAC this year with a 3-0 setback to California Baptist. The SoCon is 0-3 vs. the WAC and the Mocs are the last chance for the SoCon to grab a win. The SoCon is 4-5 against the ASUN this season with three more matches happening this week. Chattanooga is 1-2 against the ASUN.
ABOUT LAMAR
Lamar enters the weekend at 3-7 and is on a two-match losing streak. The Cardinals are 1-1 in neutral site matches and 0-2 on the road. The team's back-to-back losses are at the hands of Northwestern State (1-3) and Little Rock (0-3). The squad is hitting .157, averaging 11.7 kills per set led by Kaitlyn Gil with 2.89. The team posts 1.57 blocks and 1.37 aces per frame.
GETTING TO KNOW EKU
Eastern Kentucky is 2-8 and coming off a midweek 3-0 setback to Butler. The Colonels are averaging 12.08 kills per set and hitting .170. Mikayla Logan leads the team with a .348 clip, while outside hitter Molly Michalak records 3.28 kills per set. Like Lamar and UTC, EKU hosted a tournament last weekend. The team went 1-2 with its lone win coming against SoCon opponent, Western Carolina.
SCOUTING SOUTHERN MISS
Among the four teams, the hosts have the best record at 5-5. They began the season 4-0 and have lost four straight. The Golden Eagles began the season hosting a five-team tournament and recording two sweeps in their four victories. Since then, the team has suffered setbacks to Buffalo (1-3), Alabama (2-3), South Alabama (1-3), Nicholls (2-3) and Jacksonville State (1-3). Southern Miss' other victory came in four sets to Troy.
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MORE ABOUT CHATTANOOGA VOLLEYBALL
Watch "Mission First, Family Always" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8mOmxbzHk4&t=2s
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https://gomocs.com/news/2019/9/27/general-chatt-chats-mission-first-family-always.aspx?path=general
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