INDIANAPOLIS, IND. – The Chattanooga Mocs' indoor volleyball team began its second weekend of action on Friday evening at the Hampton Inn Invitational hosted by IUPUI. The Mocs used a kill from all players and a season-best hitting percentage to take down the hosts in the tournament opener 3-1 (24-26, 25-22, 25-19, 25-18).

MATCH BASICS  
SET 1 ∙ IUPUI 26, UTC 24
SET 2 ∙ UTC 25, IUPUI 22
SET 3 ∙ UTC 25, IUPUI 19
SET 4 ∙ UTC 25, IUPUI 18

IUPUI got off to a quick start in the first set, winning the first three points. After both sides exchanged errors, the Jaguars led 10-5 early in the first. Maia Rackel recorded her first kill of the match to cut UTC's deficit to four, but following a Mocs serving error, IUPUI slotted back-to-back aces to take its largest lead of the match and force UTC to call timeout down 13-6.

The Mocs used three blocks in a 7-3 run to start their comeback in the set as the Jaguars called their first timeout up 16-13. Out of the timeout, Gylian Finch posted her second kill of the set to bring the Mocs within one. UTC tied the set for the first time since the beginning with Mackenzie Jordan's first ace of the contest and the hosts called their second timeout. With the match tied at 17, Sophia Bossong put down her second kill of the contest to give the Mocs their first lead. The two teams exchanged the next few points, but a three-point swing of a service ace and two Moc errors gave the Jaguars the set, 26-24. The Mocs outhit the Jaguars .222-.219 in the opening stanza.

UTC got off to a quick start in the second set, winning four of the first five points to force IUPUI to call timeout down 4-1. Out of the timeout, the hosts won five of the next seven to tie the match at seven. IUPUI took its biggest lead of the set at 14-11, but an error and back-to-back kills from Rackel and Bossong tied the frame at 14, forcing the hosts to call their second timeout.

Out of the stoppage, the Mocs took control. Using two kills from Kate Neill and another from Finch, UTC had a commanding 23-19 lead. IUPUI rallied for three late kills in the set, but Rackel put it away for the Blue and Gold with her ninth kill of the match to even the contest at one set apiece.

Like they did in the first set, IUPUI opened the frame with an early lead. The Mocs fought back quickly, jumping on a small 3-0 run to tie the set at six, forcing IUPUI to call another early timeout. UTC was down 10-7 and the squad sparked the biggest run of the season. The eight-point swing consisted of two IUPUI errors, a pair of aces from Jordan, two kills from Finch and one from Bossong and Jordan. Up 15-10, the Mocs didn't look back. Finch sealed the third frame with her ninth kill of the match as the Blue and Gold took a 2-1 lead with a 25-19 victory in the third.

Both teams exchanged points early in the fourth frame. The Mocs called their first timeout with a two-point lead, up 8-6. Out of the timeout, IUPUI won four of the next six to tie the set at 10. The Mocs went on another run, this time converting five straight points to hold another 15-10 lead. IUPUI couldn't bring its deficit back within five as the Mocs took the final set 25-18. UTC hit .368 in the final frame, compared to the Jaguars' .189 clip.

For the second straight-match, Rackel lead the contest in kills, this time with 18. She capped off her performance with four block assists. Finch was second on the squad with 11 kills, posting her second double-double of the season with 12 digs.

All 10 players who appeared in the match for UTC recorded a kill. Bossong, the Mocs' setter, dished out 39 assists and added eight kills to go along with eight digs. Defensively, Marcelle Baez-Carlo led the squad with five blocks. She also tallied five kills, five digs and three aces. Coniah Davis was second on the team with six kills and added two block assists.

Jordan set a season best with 10 digs; she added a kill and tied her career high with three aces. Neill, in the middle of the front row, added four kills to the team's 56. In the back row, Gallentine set a season best with 22 digs, which led the match.

As a team, the Mocs hit .280 and added six blocks. They tallied 56 kills, eight aces and 67 digs.

Notes

• UTC's .280 attack clip is a season high for the team. The 56 kills, eight aces and 67 digs also are season bests.
• After tying her career high last weekend, Bossong set a career high with eight kills.
• Freshman Chandler Alter slotted her first career kill in the fourth set.
• Finch's three assists marked a career high for the senior.
• The victory is the first time the Mocs came back and won after losing the first set since March 22, 2021 vs. Samford.  
• The match featured 24 ties and 12 lead changes. Additionally, the two teams combined for 17 blocks and 17 aces.

Records – CHATTANOOGA (2-3) | IUPUI (1-3)

Series update
This was the first match between the two teams in program history.

Up next
The Mocs continue action at the Hampton Inn Invitational tomorrow morning vs. Toledo at 10 a.m. They close out the tournament vs. Western Illinois at 4 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

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