There was no rail to win, but the Chattanooga Indoor Volleyball team and the ETSU Buccaneers battled through 30 ties and 11 lead changes on Tuesday night inside Maclellan Gym. The Mocs won the fifth and final set, 15-12, taking down their in-state rival for the first time in five years.
UTC got off to a strong start in the first, taking an early 4-2 lead. The Bucs took the lead at 7-6 and maintained their advantage, being the first team to 15. Neither team put together a major run, but ETSU took the first four-point lead of the match, leading 20-16 as UTC called its first timeout.
The Bucs kept their four-point advantage and held set point, but the Mocs battled back, winning two straight points, forcing ETSU to call timeout up 24-22. ETSU won the next point out of the timeout, taking the opening set, 25-22. Chloe Bryan led the Mocs with four kills in the frame.
Once again, the Mocs began the set with a 7-4 lead, but a 6-1 run put the Bucs on top 10-8. The Mocs tied the set at 10 and it was back-and-forth from that moment on. ETSU was the first to regain a two-point lead as UTC called timeout down 20-18. The Mocs faced a three-point deficit and came back to tie the match at 21 with Paige Gallentine serving three straight. The hosts continued their run, winning three of the next four points on two ETSU errors to hold their first set point of the match. The Bucs won the next two to tie the match at 24. UTC used kills from Gylian Finch and Kate Neill to take the second, 26-24.
The Mocs got off to their best start in a set at home set this season in the third. The hosts won the first six points of the set with two kills from Bryan and one from Maia Rackel. UTC kept their lead throughout the frame. ETSU came close late but only got within three down 17-14. The Mocs won eight of the next 12 points to take the set 25-18. Rackel and Finch both slotted three kills throughout the set. The Mocs hit .182 in the frame but held the Bucs to a .027 clip as the two teams combined for nine blocks in the third.
The fourth set was the closest of them all throughout the first half. The two teams exchanged points with neither team holding more than a two-point lead until ETSU led 16-13 and UTC called timeout. The Mocs were never able to regain the advantage as the Bucs forced a fifth set with a 25-19 win in the fourth. ETSU hit a match-high .361 in the fourth led by Jenna Forster with six kills on nine swings.
After ETSU began the set winning the first point, UTC went on a 4-1 run capped off by a Gallentine ace and the Bucs called timeout. The strong fifth set continued for the Mocs, taking a 10-4 lead in the final frame after a Rackel ace and an ETSU error. The Bucs began their battle back, winning three of the next four to cut the Mocs’ lead to three. UTC never gave up the advantage, taking the set, 15-13, and the match with a kill from Rackel, her 16th of the night.
Rackel’s 16 kills led the match. She hit .302 and capped off a double-double with 17 kills. The Signal Mountain native added three block assists and an ace. Bryan joined Rackel in double figures with 11 and a .214 hitting percentage. The freshman was second on the team with four blocks.
Marcelle Baez-Carlo was dominant defensively at the net. She blocked seven ETSU attacks, a match high. Kate Neill and Finch added three blocks and nine kills apeice.
Sophia Bossong quarterbacked the offense with 47 assists enroute to her 20th-career double-double. Paige Gallentine led another match in digs, this time with 22. She also slotted a match-leading two aces.
The Mocs outhit the Bucs .211 - .204 led by a .316 hitting percentage in the fifth set. UTC led the match in blocks with 11 compared to ETSU’s eight. The back-and-forth match featured 30 ties and 11 lead changes.
The Mocs conclude the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 13 vs. Wofford. First serve is slated for 4 p.m. after UTC celebrates Finch and Rackel on for senior day.