CHATTANOOGA --- Chattanooga volleyball's hot stretch of SoCon matches rolled right along on Friday night when the Mocs earned yet another sweep after downing Western Carolina 3-0 in Maclellan Gymnasium.
The Mocs dismantled the Catamounts over the course of the entire match with UTC's middle blockers proving dominant in the runaway victory. Chattanooga has now not only secured back-to-back sweeps, but has won its past nine sets dating back to the team's 3-1 win over UNCG last Saturday. This also marks just the fifth time in program history that the Mocs have recorded back-to-back sweeps against conference opponents.
"This is what I want to see out of them," head coach Julie Torbett Thomas said. "They know what they need to do and I just feel like our middles have just been unstoppable. They're on fire right now which just makes things better for everyone.
"We've made some changes and adjustments lately that have really paid off. I just believe in them and think that we have every chance to beat any and every team in this conference."
To open the match, Chattanooga got off on the right foot behind a 25-20 set win. At one point trailing 10-5 early-on, the Mocs responded perfectly with a 12-3 run in the middle of the frame. Now leading 17-13, the Mocs sat and stayed in the driver's set to jump ahead 1-0 on the Catamounts.
The Mocs then turned up the heat in the second set, running away with a 25-16 victory in set two. Truly a group effort across the board, the Mocs picked apart the WCU defense with a dynamic offensive attack. Now up 2-0, UTC needed just one more set to secure the sweep.
It was a slower start than usual for the Mocs in set three, as Western Carolina pulled ahead to a 14-11 lead. It was here, however, that Chattanooga turned to an unlikely source for a spark: freshman defensive specialist Finley Hilliard.
Subbing into the match and with the serve in her hands, Hilliard helped galvanize the Mocs with not only her first collegiate dig(s), but by notching back-to-back aces over the course of a 6-0 UTC run. The local Soddy Daisy standout, with her family in the stands and her teammates cheering her along, stepped up when the Mocs needed her most.
"I was definitely nervous and it was unexpected, but as soon as I had my first two serves I tried to calm down," Hilliard said. "I could feel myself shaking the whole time. It was definitely a momentum change for us and even though I was nervous my whole team picked me up.
"Honestly it was just the best feeling. My whole family was supporting me, the girls are my best friends and I had them right behind me too. It was just the best."
Now leading 17-14, the Mocs took the lead and ran with it as UTC ended up capping off the night with a 25-19 win in the third frame. The Mocs were then able to get the brooms out, as the team could celebrate securing its second consecutive SoCon sweep of the weekend with their 3-0 win over WCU.
"It just feels so good to be able to win like this with this group," Paige Gallentine said following the match. "With them being conference matches and them being sweeps like this, it feels like we're going down the right path. It's just been awesome to be around on and off the court."
Gallentine's night would conclude with her leading the team in digs (19) while also tallying two aces for the Mocs. Elaine Redman also put on a show, being the lone Moc to finish with a double-double in the match after recording 37 assists and 12 digs, while also leading the team with three aces.
A trio of Mocs would end their nights with double-digit kills, including Chard'e Vanzandt (12), Erin Wyatt (11) and Kynli Kirkendoll (10). Kirkendoll also led the way for the Mocs with five blocks.
UP NEXT
The Mocs will now close out what will end up being a six-match homestand this coming Thursday with UTC welcoming Wofford to Maclellan Gymnasium on October 24. That match is slated to start at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+ and will also serve as the team's Alumni Reunion. Later that same weekend, the Mocs will then head to Birmingham, Alabama, for a match against Samford on Saturday, October 26. That match will also be available to stream on ESPN+ and is set to begin at 6 p.m. ET (5 p.m. CT).
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