The Chattanooga Mocs’ indoor volleyball team fell to the Jacksonville State Gamecocks, 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-18) at the Pete Matthews Center on Tuesday night. Junior attacker, Maia Rackel, became the second active player with 500 career kills with her fourth kill of the match.
The Gamecocks took control early in the first set with a 7-2 lead which extended to 13-8, forcing UTC to call its first timeout. The Mocs used a 6-2 run consisting of two kills from Rackel and another from Kate Neill to cut the UTC deficit to three at 22-19.
UTC was unable to get closer that three as JSU won three of the next five points to take the opening frame.
JSU began the second set on a 7-2 run using six Gamecock kills. UTC began its comeback early, going on a 6-2 run to bring the deficit to two, 12-10. JSU’s Zoe Gonzales and Lena Kindermann both recorded two kills in a 6-2 run for the hosts to take an 18-11 lead and force the Mocs to call their second timeout. UTC and JSU exchanged multiple points, but the Gamecocks won five of the last seven to take the set, 25-16. The second set was the most offensive of the three with both teams hitting above .250. The hosts outhit the Mocs .528-.278.
The Mocs began the third set strong, taking an early 9-5 lead using a 4-0 run. After a JSU timeout, the Gamecocks went on a small run of their own, cutting the deficit to two. Down 12-10, the hosts won the next four points to take their largest lead of the set. After the Gamecocks took a six-point lead, UTC was able to cut its deficit to four, but JSU won the next three points to close out the match. Both teams hit under .100 in the last set with UTC recording eight kills and JSU posting nine.
Rackel tallied a season-best 15 kills, which led the match. Gylian Finch was second on the squad with eight.
Sophia Bossong posted her third double-double of the season with 26 assists and a team-high 16 digs. Paige Gallentine added 14 digs and two assists. Finch and Marcelle Baez-Carlo led the match with two blocks, Kate Neill and Coniah Davis each had one.
JSU’s Gonzales and Kaylie Milton posted double-digit kills with 12 and 11 respectively; Gonzales led the match with a .421 attack clip.
The Mocs are back in action on this weekend as they travel to Indianapolis, Ind. for the Hampton Inn Invitational hosted by IUPUI. The squad kicks off the weekend against the hosts at 6:30 on Friday, Sept 3.