HUNTSVILLE, Ala. --- Chattanooga volleyball closed out its season-opening weekend at the Betty Austin Invitational on Sunday with a 3-0 win over Alabama A&M.
Already riding the high from a pair of wins in yesterday's second day of action from Huntsville, the Mocs were dominant in their Sunday finale against the Bulldogs, earning their second consecutive sweep to move to 3-1 on the young season.
"I was so proud of how we came out swinging on the opponent's home court," head coach Julie Torbett Thomas said. "Our passing was impressive, allowing our offense to shine. Sydney (Jackwin) and Chard'e (Vanzandt) were all-tournament players, but the highlight for me was Elaine (Redman) finding our connections and our defensive players not letting balls hit the floor."
"They are a very offensive team and we took that away with great blocks and digs. Great team effort."
Similar to their matches from a day prior, the Mocs were able to set the tone early by claiming a first set win over the Bulldogs, winning the frame 25-17. UTC continued to steamroll through the match in set two, with the Chattanooga offense proving dominant in a 25-19 set win.
Needing just one more set for the victory, the Mocs saved their best set for last with Chattanooga putting on a masterclass in the form of a 25-14 win. Despite playing on Alabama A&M's home floor, the Mocs were able to get their brooms out once again having swept the Bulldogs 3-0 to close out the weekend.
Breanah Rives and Chard'e Vanzandt once again showcased their offensive prowess on the stat sheet, with Rives recording a team-high 15 kills, followed by Jackwin's 11. The duo was fed by Elaine Redman, who capped off her impressive weekend with a 38-assist performance against the Bulldogs. Redman added a team-high five aces to her resume in the match as well, tying her career-high from 2021.
Paige Gallentine continued to dazzle on UTC's backrow, with the Fenton, Michigan, native once again leading the way for the Mocs in digs with 19. Jackwin followed closely behind Gallentine with 15 digs of her own. For blocks, a total of four Mocs finished the day with 3+ blocks in the victory with Kynli Kirkendoll and Erin Wyatt tying for a team-high four. Rives and Vanzandt added three a piece in the category as well.
For their efforts on the weekend, Sydney Jackwin and Chard'e Vanzandt were each named to the Betty Austin Invitational All-Tournament Team. Jackwin ended her first weekend donning a Chattanooga jersey with 41 total kills (2.93 kills/set) alongside 49 digs (3.50 digs/set) and five aces, all of which rank second on the team to open the year. Vanzandt's weekend saw her notch 39 kills (2.79 kills/set) paired with a team-leading 11 total blocks (0.79 blocks/set).
UP NEXT
The Mocs now return home to Chattanooga for the team's annual Chattanooga Classic, set to run September 6-7 in Maclellan Gymnasium. UTC's weekend will open on Friday, September 6 at 1 p.m. ET against Tennessee State, followed by a 7 p.m. ET match versus Charleston Southern. The weekend wraps up on Saturday, September 7 with UTC hosting Belmont at 2 p.m. ET in the tournament finale. All Chattanooga matches will be available to stream on ESPN+.
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