GREENVILLE, S.C. — After fighting off a pair of match points in the third set, the fourth-seeded Chattanooga Mocs volleyball team earned a 3-2 (21-25, 21-25, 27-25, 25-21, 15-8) come-from-behind victory over fifth-seeded Wofford in the quarterfinals of the Southern Conference Championships on Friday afternoon inside Timmons Arena in Greenville, S.C.
Chattanooga punches their ticket to the semifinals for the first time since 2016, where that team would later appear in the title match. UTC will face No. 8 Furman tomorrow, Saturday, at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN+, after the host Paladins upset No. 1 ETSU, 3-1.
The Mocs, who were picked last in the preseason SoCon coaches poll, improved to 17-15 overall this season after the win and completed a three-match sweep of Wofford, who was picked as the league favorite in the same poll.
Chattanooga fell behind 2-0 after dropping the first two sets by the same 25-21 count and had their backs against the wall in the third, fending off two Wofford match points at 24-23 and 25-24 before rallying for a 27-25 win with the season on the line.
With new life and all the momentum, UTC dominated the fourth and fifth sets with an offensive explosion, combining for 24 kills at a .284% attacking percentage. The Mocs never trailed in each of the final two sets and saw a tie score just three times as the squad posted a 25-21 win in the fourth and a match-clinching 15-8 decision in the fifth.
"We really wanted to get our middles involved and take some pressure off of Natalie [Tyson] and Halle [Olson], but in the end, the pins got it done and carried us offensively," said first-year UTC head coach Julie Torbett, who has notched the program's most successful season since 2016.
"Sydney Hall was dominant at the net blocking and Cassidy Couch came in and got three service aces at critical times to close out sets."
It was the Natalie Tyson (25) and Halle Olson (19) show on offense for UTC as the duo combined for 44 of the team's 62 kills on the afternoon while attacking at a .277% and .224% percentage, respectively. The pair also notched double-double performances with 15 and 12 digs.
Sydney Hall provided a strong presence at the net both offensive and defensively as she finished with both seven kills and seven blocks (five solo, two assists) in the victory. It's the second time she recorded five solo blocks this season, the other was also against Wofford, as the mark ties for the most solo blocks in a match since 2003.
Paige Gallentine once again led the defensive effort for the Mocs as the third-year sophomore libero and All-SoCon second team selection posted 23 digs with 11 coming in the final two sets. She also added a pair of service aces and four assists.
Elaine Redman directed the offense with 46 assists and completed the double-double with 18 digs. Redman was one of five Mocs who reached double figures in digs as the team posted 98 in total, second most in a match this season. Cassidy Couch provided a spark with three service aces, two of them set-clinching, while also finishing with five digs.
2022 SOUTHERN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
Tournament Central · Bracket, Links, Photos, History & More
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
SoCon Tournament Quarterfinals - Friday, Nov. 18
No. 4 Chattanooga 3 def. No. 5 Wofford 2
No. 8 Furman 3 def. No. 1 ETSU 1
No. 2 Samford vs. No. 7 The Citadel, 5 p.m. ET
No. 3 Western Carolina vs. No. 6 Mercer, 7:30 p.m. ET
SoCon Tournament Semifinals - Saturday, Nov. 19
No. 4 Chattanooga vs. No. 8 Furman – 5 p.m. ET
SoCon Tournament Finals
Sunday, Nov. 20, 4 p.m. ET
TOURNAMENT NOTES
Chattanooga ·
SoCon
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