MOREHEAD, Ky. --- The No. 3 seeded Chattanooga Mocs beach volleyball team suffered a pair of semifinal defeats in a rain-altered schedule during the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Championships on Friday afternoon at Morehead State's Fazolis Breadstick Beach complex.
 
Chattanooga dropped a heartbreaking 3-2 decision in the winner's bracket semifinal to No. 1 Seed UT Martin in the first match of the day before falling 3-0 to host No. 4 Morehead State in the elimination match semifinal. UTC concludes the season with a 17-14 overall record in its second full season as a program.
 
"I'm extremely proud of the fight and belief that continues to progress this program. This one will hurt after being so close to making an OVC championship match, but I'm extremely excited in where we are as a program and where we are headed," said head coach Darin Van Horn.
 
"We are forever grateful for the seniors who became cornerstones of Chattanooga Beach Volleyball."
 
In the first match of the day, Chattanooga and top-seeded UT Martin split the four and five pairings with the No. 5 freshmen duo of Joy Courtright and Julia Davis providing a 21-9, 23-21 sweep. Hanley Lomax and Bailey Steger posted a three-set winner at No. 3 (19-21, 21-14, 15-12) to put UTC ahead 2-1 in the latter moments of the match.
 
The Skyhawks earned a 21-16, 21-17 straight-set decision in the No. 2 hole to even the match at 2-2 and redirect the drama to the top pairing. After falling 22-24 in the opening set, Baylee Young and Gylian Finch forced a tiebreak third set with a thrilling 22-20 tally in the second.
 
Despite holding match point, the senior all-conference tandem eventually fell 16-14 in heartbreaking fashion which sent the Mocs to an elimination match against host Morehead State. The tournament format was double elimination except for the championship match, which would be a winner-take-all scenario.
 
Chattanooga fell behind 2-0 after the first two pairings against Morehead State with the No. 5 pairing of Courtright and Davis reaching tiebreak status (21-17, 9-21, 15-9). Playing in a clinch format, the Eagles earned a spot in the OVC title match with a 21-14, 21-13 in the No. 3 pairing while the top two pairs went unfinished.
 
WINNER'S SEMIFINAL
UT Martin 3, Chattanooga 2
Apr 29, 2022 at Morehead, Ky. (Fazolis Breadstick Beach)
 
PAIRINGS
1. Karen Scanlon/Logan Wallick (UTM) def. Baylee Young/Gylian Finch (CHATT) 22-24, 22-20, 16-14
2. Hannah Phillips/Dylan Mott (UTM) def. Paige Gallentine/Neva Clark (CHATT) 21-16, 21-17
3. Hanley Lomax/Bailey Steger (CHATT) def. Haeleigh Paulino/Kambree Lucas (UTM) 19-21, 21-14, 15-12
4. Kayla Carrell/Addison Conley (UTM) def. Victoria Cerino/Madison Morris (CHATT) 21-19, 21-17
5. Joy Courtright/Julia Davis (CHATT) def. Brooke Kuball/Addy Vaughn (UTM) 21-9, 23-21
 
MATCH NOTES
Chattanooga 17-13
UT Martin 16-8
Order of finish: Doubles (5,4,2,3,1);
2022 OVC Beach Volleyball Championship - Match 5

LOSER'S SEMIFINAL
Morehead State 3, Chattanooga 0
Apr 29, 2022 at Morehead, Ky. (Fazolis Breadstick Beach)
 
PAIRINGS
1. Allison Whitten/Olivia Lohmeier (MOR) vs. Baylee Young/Gylian Finch (CHATT) 19-21, 16-16, unfinished
2. Bella Williams/Olivia Montelisciani (MOR) vs. Paige Gallentine/Neva Clark (CHATT) 20-22, 8-12, unfinished
3. Margaret Musselman/Anya Reinhard (MOR) def. Hanley Lomax/Bailey Steger (CHATT) 21-14, 21-13
4. Trinity Miller/Abby Hulsman (MOR) def. Victoria Cerino/Madison Morris (CHATT) 21-13, 21-17
5. Bridget Bessler/Raegan Alexander (MOR) def. Joy Courtright/Julia Davis (CHATT) 21-17, 9-21, 15-9
 
MATCH NOTES
Chattanooga 17-14
Morehead State 12-10
Order of finish: Doubles (4,5,3);
2022 OVC Beach Volleyball Championship - Match 7

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