The Chattanooga Mocs volleyball team hosts The Citadel Friday at 6:00 p.m., on Senior Night and Furman Saturday at 6:00 p.m., for UTC's last home matches of 2015-16. UTC is 20-5, marking the first time since 2003 the program has hit 20 wins in a season, and 9-3 in Southern Conference action.
"It will be a great opportunity to be home for the final time this season, but especially for our five seniors," head coach Travis Filar stated. "They have given their all to this program. They have been an integral part of the growth the program has seen in the last four years."
Friday's match serves to honor seniors Julimar Alvarado (San Juan, Puerto Rico), Sarah Batterton(Colbert, Wash.), Catherine Chason (Alpharetta, Ga.), Lauren Gainer (Boca Raton, Fla.) and Briana Reid(Houston, Texas).
These five student-athletes represent Filar's first full recruiting class.
"They have so many responsibilities and have been such a huge part of this season's success," said Filar. "It's great being able to send them off on this home weekend and celebrate their careers with their parents in town."
Chattanooga posted 3-1 wins over Mercer and Wofford last week and a 3-1 loss at Samford on Wednesday. Chason was named SoCon Defensive Player of the Week for Oct. 26-Nov. 1. She has marked double-digit digs in every match but one this year, in addition to 16 matches with 15 or more.
UTC swept The Citadel on Oct. 10 in Charleston, S.C., outplaying the Bulldogs offensively. The Mocs tallied 50 kills and a .424 hitting percentage. Junior Allie Davenport (Tyrone, Ga.) led with 14 kills paired with a .636 clip.
The Citadel is 7-22 and 0-11 in conference action, coming off losses to Charleston Southern (3-0), Western Carolina (3-2) and UNCG (3-0). Sophomore outside hitter Moriah Smith has a team-best 345 kills (3.22 per set), and junior middle hitter Samantha Epsy paces the squad with 476 digs (4.33 per set).
Chattanooga dropped a five-set battle to Furman on Oct. 9 in Greenville, S.C. Five Mocs hit double-digit kills, including Gainer and Davenport with 15 each and Reid posted a double-double of 13 kills and digs. Sophomore Lauren Greenspoon (Houston, Texas) recorded a personal-best of 60 assists.
The Paladins are 16-6 and 10-2 in league play. Furman posted wins over ETSU (3-0) and Western Carolina (3-1) last weekend. Freshman outside hitter Jamila Johnson earned SoCon Player of the Week for Oct. 26-Nov. 1. Junior outside hitter Annie Bierman notched Offensive Player of the Month for October. She's racked up 341 kills, averaging 4.32 per set which leads the conference. Senior setter Jo Wilks moved to the top of Furman's career assists list during the win over the Catamounts.