Chattanooga, Tenn. – The Furman volleyball team closed out a two-match series against the Chattanooga Mocs on Monday afternoon falling 3-0 in SoCon action from Maclellan Gym.
Furman falls to 3-3 on the season and in conference play while Chattanooga improves to 5-5 overall and 3-5 in the league.
Neci Harris led the Paladins offensively finishing with eight kills while
Mikaela Schultz contributed six and a career-high 15 digs.
Katie Murphy dished out 22 assists and posted eight digs.
Andrea Aceveda had a team-high 17 digs and
Sarah Turner tallied 13.
Gylian Finch compiled a match-high 10 kills to lead the Mocs. Sophia Bossong registered a double-double on 25 assists and 11 digs. Paige Gallentine led all players with a match-high 23 digs and Emma Perkins totaled 13.
Chattanooga opened the match on a 9-4 run in the first set to take a four-point lead over Furman on an attack error. The Paladins responded with an 8-3 run of its own and tied the score at 12-12 when Schultz connected on a kill. Furman then scored the next two points on Hoffman's kill and a combination block from Murphy and Hoffman making the score 14-12. The Mocs collected seven of the next eight points to go in front 19-15 on a solo block by Maia Rackel, forcing the Paladins into a timeout. Furman used a 7-0 run out of the timeout to take a 22-19 lead that was capped by a Chattanooga attack error. The Mocs rallied back to even the score at 24-24 following a kill from MacKenzie Saitta. The teams traded the next four points before Chattanooga scored the final two on kills by Saitta and Finch to win 28-26.
The first 12 points of the second set were split evenly as Harris tied the score at 6-6 following her kill. The Mocs responded by scoring six of the next nine points and led 12-9 off a Paladin attack error. A combination block by Bossong and Kate Neill later extended Chattanooga's lead out to 18-13. Furman got as close as 18-16 following three straight kills from Harris, Schultz and
Kaeli Braswell. The Mocs closed out the set on a 7-2 run for the 25-18 victory.
The Paladins scored the first four points of the third set and built an early 6-2 lead on a service ace from Braswell. A few plays later, Harris put Furman ahead 7-4 with her kill. Chattanooga came back with an 11-3 run and went in front 15-10 after a kill by Saitta. The Paladins scored the next three points, capped by Murphy's kill, to trail 15-13. Harris kept Furman within three, 19-16, after connecting on a kill and forcing the Mocs into a timeout. The Paladins were held to just three points the rest of the way as Chattanooga captured the set 25-19 to win the match 3-0.
Furman concluded the match hitting .049 while the Mocs posted a .215 team hitting percentage.
The Paladins return home Feb. 28-Mar. 1 to host UNC Greensboro in a two-match series at Alley Gymnasium.
