It was a thrilling opening day of action for Chattanooga volleyball at the 2024 Chattanooga Classic, with the Mocs claiming five-set victories over Tennessee State and Charleston Southern continue the team’s win streak.
The Mocs (5-1) will be playing for back-to-back Chattanooga Classic titles tomorrow after battling their way to a pair of gritty victories over the Tigers and Buccaneers to open the weekend. If the Mocs can take down undefeated Belmont on Saturday, UTC will claim its second consecutive Chattanooga Classic title, marking just the second time in program history that the Mocs have done so.
“I think this team finally gets what I mean when I say relentless pursuit,” head coach Julie Torbett Thomas said.
“Every ball they were making an attempt to pop it up. That’s what we need to have; that kind of scrappiness. I’m really proud of our defense but we really had some amazing offensive performances as well.”
“The whole point is to win, no matter if you do it in three, four or five. In the end, getting the win is what’s important.”
The Mocs got off to a rough start to their home-opener against the Tennessee State Tigers, having built up early first and second set leads only to watch TSU come thundering back in each set to claim 26-24 and 27-25 wins, jumping ahead 2-0. With their backs against the wall, UTC came swinging back at the Tigers, however, ripping off commanding 25-16 and 25-13 set wins of their own to level it at 2-2.
The fifth set opened with back-and-forth action between both teams. UTC found itself leading narrowly as the final frame winded down, with the Mocs holding a narrow 9-8 advantage. It was then that Sydney Jackwin and company turned up the heat on TSU, closing out the match on a 6-0 scoring run to secure a 15-8 set win alongside a reverse sweep victory to open the Chattanooga Classic.
Jackwin, who was playing in her first official match in Maclellan after transferring to UTC, wrapped up the match with a double-double stat line that included 14 digs and a team-high 19 kills. She would also add five blocks to her name in the win.
“I love when there’s a lot of people that can come out to our games, whether they’re rooting for us or against us,” Jackwin said. “They’re yelling and screaming at us, and then we can turn around and come right back at them with a kill straight down their throats. It’s just a great feeling when you’re all playing together like that and have the crowd behind you.”
“It was great to be able to play in Maclellan for the first time in an actual match instead of a scrimmage.”
Jackwin and the rest of the UTC offense was fueled by another lights out performance by Elaine Redman, with Redman finishing with yet another 50+ assist match (53). Chard’e Vanzandt (15) and Breanah Rives (13) would also notch double-digit kills for the Mocs. Rives’ night would also conclude with a double-double (10 digs) paired with a team-leading four aces, while Vanzandt nearly reached double-double status in the blocks category (seven total).
Paige Gallentine ended the match with a team-high 24 digs. She was followed closely by defensive specialist Chandler Alter’s 17.
Match No. 2 of the day proved to be yet another turbulent one for the Mocs, with the Buccaneers trading blows with UTC throughout the entirety of the night cap. After CSU took the opening set 25-23, the Mocs responded with two consecutive set wins in the second and third, putting Chattanooga one set from the victory.
CSU wasn’t about to go quietly into the night, however, with the Bucs grabbing the fourth frame 25-22 to force another five-set match out of the Mocs. Much like the earlier match against TSU, both teams traded blows to open the fifth set before the Mocs were finally able to pull away down the stretch. With a final score of 15-11, UTC once again prevailed in the deciding frame.
It was another defensive masterclass by Gallentine, as the Fenton, Michigan, native finished with a team-high for digs once again (22). Chandler Alter was once again on her heels with 21 digs of her own.
UTC’s offense relied on the three-headed monster of Sydney Jackwin (16 kills), Breanah Rives (15) and Kynli Kirkendoll (12). They were each fed by Elaine Redman, who recorded her second straight 50+ assist match of the day with the senior logging 52 in the win.
Kirkendoll, along with grad transfer Ashley Taylor, both finished tied for a team-best four blocks each.
Now in a position to win the Chattanooga Classic title for the second consecutive year, Paige Gallentine and the rest of the UTC crew are on a mission to protect their turf on Saturday.
“Last year was obviously awesome to win this tournament, and to have the chance to do that again this year would just be awesome,” Gallentine said. “After fighting through those two matches today, in the back of my head I couldn’t stop thinking that this was our gym and they can’t beat us on our home court.”
“It’s exciting to have the chance to win this thing tomorrow, because I really think that no one should be able to beat us in here.”
UP NEXT
The Mocs will now take on undefeated Belmont (4-0), who also were able to take down the likes of Tennessee State and Charleston Southern on the opening day of competition from Maclellan. The Mocs and the Bruins will kick off their match at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+, with the winner taking home the honors of outright Chattanooga Classic champions. Belmont enters the contest on a four-match winning streak, while the Mocs will enter Saturday riding a five-match streak of their own.