The Mocs needed to bring their A-game this weekend at the OVC Weekend in Martin, and if Friday’s matches were any testament, Chattanooga beach volleyball is aiming for some hardware after putting together two dominant wins over Tennessee Tech and Lindenwood on Friday.
The Mocs (14-9, 7-1 OVC) came into the weekend looking to win out in order to clinch at least a share of the Ohio Valley Conference regular season title. With a 4-1 win over Tennessee Tech followed by a 5-0 sweep of Lindenwood, UTC now has one foot in the door of claiming the program’s first conference championship.
With their destiny in their hands, the Mocs will need wins over Eastern Illinois and Morehead State in tomorrow’s final day of action from Martin, Tennessee. Chattanooga could also get some help from UT Martin if the Skyhawks are to lose at all, with UTC currently sitting tied with Martin in the OVC standings.
The Mocs will start their Saturday off at 9 a.m. ET against Eastern Illinois before turning their attention to Morehead State at 3 p.m. ET.
Chattanooga vs. Tennessee Tech – W, 4-1
The Mocs set the tone for the weekend in their first match of the day, taking down Tennessee Tech 4-1 to complete the regular season sweep over the Golden Eagles. The bottom of UTC’s lineup got things started quickly, with Chattanooga’s 5’s earning a swift two-set win with the 4’s not far behind with a two-set sweep of their own. Gylian Finch and McKenna Faychak provided the clinching blow from the No. 2 position before TTU could build any momentum of their own. The Golden Eagles were able to get a consolation point for themselves with a victory on Court 1, but UTC’s No. 3 pairing of Joy Courtright and Maddie Lecik wiped the sour taste from the Mocs’ mouths by battling back to reverse sweep their way to a victory in the final match of the fixture.
1. Madoly Isringhausen/Bella Powell (TTU) def. Neva Clark/Corina Vale (UTC) 23-21, 21-19
2. Gylian Finch/McKenna Faychak (UTC) def. Skylar Boom/MK Roberts (TTU) 21-18, 21-18
3. Joy Courtright/Maddie Lecik (UTC) def. Aleeya Jones/Brooke Amann (TTU) 17-21, 21-18, 15-6
4. Paige Gallentine/Kaye Gresham (UTC) def. Katie Diraimondo/Jazmine Yamilkoski (TTU) 21-13, 21-13
5. Morgan Romano/Julia Lawrence (UTC) def. McKenna Young/Ava Schubert (TTU) 21-16, 21-14
Order of finish: 5, 4, 2, 1, 3
Chattanooga vs. Lindenwood – W, 5-0
From one dominant performance to the next, the Mocs were on a mission in Martin as UTC proceeded to sweep third-place Lindenwood 5-0 to wrap up play on Friday. Paced by Court 4 and Court 5 wins to open the match, this time it was the No. 1 pairing of Neva Clark and Corina Vale that were able to return to the win column and provide the clinching point for the Mocs. Wins on Courts 2 and 3 only sweetened the victory, giving Chattanooga its seventh sweep of the 2024 season, as well as its fifth sweep in conference play.
1. Neva Clark/Corina Vale (UTC) def. Maider Soto/Nyah Wilson (LIN) 21-15, 21-17
2. Gylian Finch/McKenna Faychak (UTC) def. Abby Jacobs/Katie Malzahn (LIN) 21-13, 21-17
3. Joy Courtright/Maddie Lecik (UTC) def. Annalie McWhorter/Jessie Seidel (LIN) 24-22, 21-11
4. Paige Gallentine/Kaye Gresham (UTC) def. Abby Vanbuskirk/Kailee McGee (LIN) 21-13, 21-13
5. Morgan Romano/Julia Lawrence (UTC) def. Elise Llorens/Amber Schade (LIN) 21-15, 21-19
Order of finish: 4, 5, 1, 3, 2