photo by gomocs.com
The Chattanooga Mocs’ indoor volleyball program will open its 2021 slate with an exhibition against the Georgia State Panthers tomorrow, Friday, August 20 inside Maclellan Gymnasium. First serve is slated for 6 p.m.
The match is open to the public and admission is free. Fans are encouraged to wear a mask and socially distance inside Maclellan Gym per University guidelines. The Vine Street entrance is open to enter the facility.
Concluded the 2020-21 season with a 6-12 overall record and went 4-12 in Southern Conference play.
Led by 11th-year head coach Travis Filar, the Mocs return nine players from last year’s squad and welcome eight newcomers to the team. The roster (which reflects academic eligibility following the COVID-19 waiver) consists of 13 freshmen, two sophomores, a junior and a senior.
The nine returners total 83% of the team's kills from the 2020-21 season, 78% of the assists, 77% of the kills, 71% of the digs and 68% of the aces.
Senior outside hitter, Gylian Finch, concluded last year’s season with 160 kills which was second-best on the team. She enters her fourth year with 716 career kills and 518 digs.
Last year’s UTC kills leader, Maia Rackel, returns for her third season in blue and gold. The junior is 468 kills away from the 500-mark after leading the team with 187 last year. She has totaled 150 career blocks.
UTC was picked eighth in the SoCon Preseason Coaches Poll which was released on Wednesday afternoon. The three-time defending champion Samford Bulldogs were the favorite.
GEORGIA STATE NOTES
The Mocs and the Panthers most recently met on Sept. 12, 2020 in what was one of the most exciting matches of the 2020-21 season. UTC won the five-set thriller 25-23, 25-18, 20-25, 22-25, 24-22 inside Maclellan. The Mocs fought off five match points in the fifth frame. The Panthers survived three match points before falling on the Mocs’ fourth match point, up 23-22.
Finch tallied a match-high 25 kills and completed a double-double with 11 digs. Sophia Bossong dished out 67 assists, just 12 shy of the program record. GSU’s Griffin led the Panthers with 21 kills on 43 swings.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Athletics Department, in partnership with From Now On, has launched a free app that gives fans easy access to the Mocs information they want most. The 'Go Mocs' app presented by FirstBank provides users with live stats, game day information, ticket purchasing, and exclusive Mocs content all in one place. It also includes push notifications, so fans are always the first to know score updates, breaking news and promotional offers.