CHATTANOOGA --- Chattanooga volleyball dropped their opening match of the SoCon season Friday night, as the Mocs ultimately fell 3-1 to The Citadel at Maclellan Gym.
The Mocs (11-4, 0-1) put together a solid effort as the team hung with the Bulldogs (13-0, 1-0) in each of the match's four sets, but a complete performance for The Citadel helped them claim the 3-1 win to hand UTC their first loss of the Southern Conference slate.
Chattanooga was able to take advantage of their home advantage early, jumping ahead 1-0 on The Citadel after taking the opening set 25-23. On the back of Chard'e Vanzandt's offense, the Mocs were looking to tally the Bulldogs' first loss of the 2023 season.
The Citadel responded with a set win of their own in the second, taking it 25-21. The Bulldogs went on to grab the third as well thanks in large part to their offense, which primarily ran through setter Belle Hogan and outside hitter Ali Ruffin. The Bulldog duo ultimately ended the match with a pair of double-doubles, with Ruffin tallying 21 kills and 15 digs while Hogan finished with 56 assists and 22 digs.
UTC was able to keep the fourth set tight as both teams were jockeying for the upper hand. While the Mocs had control in the first half of the set, the Bulldogs took control in the second as The Citadel closed out the set 25-22 to remain undefeated on the year.
Chard'e Vanzandt led the way for the Mocs in the kills department, with the Houston, Texas, native logging a season-high 18 kills. Both Elaine Redman (39 assists, 16 digs) and Morgan Romano (15 kills, 14 digs) ended their nights with double-doubles for the Mocs, while libero Paige Gallentine finished with a team-high 24 digs.
UP NEXT
The Mocs will now turn their attention to the final match of the team's five-match homestand for UTC, as Chattanooga plays host to Wofford (10-2, 1-0) on Saturday, September 23 in Maclellan Gymnasium. The match is set to start at 4 p.m. ET, with both live stats and an ESPN+ live stream being available to fans.
50 SEASONS OF CHATTANOOGA VOLLEYBALL
The 2023 season for the Chattanooga Mocs volleyball team marks a major landmark for the program and the university, as UTC volleyball officially celebrates its 50th season of competition as a university sponsored athletic program. Following the adoption of the Title IX legislation back in 1972, UTC added women's basketball, tennis, and volleyball programs to its roster of athletic teams, bringing on five decades of history for each of the teams. UTC volleyball will be holding a celebration of the team's 50 seasons of history during the team's pair of home matches October 6 and 7 during Homecoming Weekend.
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