No. 1 Chattanooga 3, No. 5 ETSU 1
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Top-seeded Chattanooga kept its historic season going on Sunday, clinching its first Southern Conference volleyball championship appearance since 2001 in a 3-1 (25-18, 18-25, 25-21, 25-18) win over No. 5 seed ETSU at the Ramsey Center on the campus of Western Carolina. The Mocs, now 26-5 on the season, were fueled by 20 kills and 18 digs from All-SoCon outside hitter Allie Davenport.
UTC was also led by senior Sarah Batterton, who put down 12 kills with a .500 hitting percentage. Senior outside hitter Briana Reid chipped in 12 kills herself in addition to 17 digs, and sophomore setter Madison Bergren kept UTC’s offense humming, helping the Mocs to a .281 hitting percentage with 48 assists.
Sophomore outside hitter Rylee Milhorn posted 12 kills for ETSU and was the only Buc with double-figure kills in the match. Junior setter Kristen Favre tallied 42 assists and eight digs in the losing effort.
In the first set, UTC was able get out to an early 7-3 lead with the help of two Reid kills. ETSU head coach Lindsey Devine asked for a timeout with her team trailing 10-4, and the Bucs were able to rattle off five of seven points out of the break to cut the deficit to 12-9. The Mocs were able to maintain their advantage, which grew to 21-16 after a kill from senior Lauren Gainer and a block by junior Kristy Wieser on back-to-back points. UTC put forth a flurry of three more points to take a 24-16 lead, and Batterton capped the set with a kill to give the Mocs the first frame, 25-18.
ETSU turned the tables on the UTC in the second set, winning eight of the first 11 points and forcing a Mocs timeout. The Bucs kept hammering away, stretching their lead to 17-9 before a 5-0 run featuring kills from Davenport, Reid and Wieser brought the Mocs within three at 17-14. After exchanging points, ETSU won the second set, 25-18, courtesy a 4-0 run that was finished off with two Milhorn aces.
Neither team created separation in the early portion of a hotly contested third set. That ended when a 3-0 UTC run put the Mocs on top, 12-9. ETSU responded in a big way, however, overcoming a 15-10 deficit on the strength of an 8-1 run. With the Bucs leading 20-19, the Mocs got kills from four different players to win six of the next seven points and the set, 25-21.
Travis Filar’s squad appeared destined for a blowout win in the fourth set, seizing an 11-3 lead that expanded to 18-4. The Bucs refused to go down easily, though, assembling a furious rally that saw them draw as close as six points at 24-18. A kill from Wieser on an assist from Bergren ended ETSU’s comeback bid and punched UTC’s ticket to the championship match.
The Mocs will face No. 2 seed Furman on Monday at 6 p.m. in the championship match. It will be broadcast on ESPN3.
No. 2 Furman 3, No. 3 UNCG 0
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Second-seeded Furman advanced to its third Southern Conference volleyball championship in four years on Sunday, defeating No. 3 seed UNCG 3-0 (25-18, 25-16, 25-14) in the second of two semifinal matches at the Ramsey Center on the campus of Western Carolina.
The Paladins, who improved to 20-8 on the season, posted a .346 hitting percentage for the match and were led by SoCon player of the year Annie Bierman, who had a match-high 12 kills on a .407 hitting percentage. Sophomore outside hitter Christen Sikora was the only other player in the match to reach double-digit kills, as she chipped in 11 more on the winning side. Defensively, sophomore libero Meg DeMaar tallied 19 digs, while Bierman added 15 digs for Furman.
The first set was closely contested until Furman was able to open up a 21-15 lead behind an ace from Jo Wilks and then one of freshman Carris Campbell’s six opening-frame kills. After the two teams split the next four points, Sikora and freshman Jamila Johnson put down back-to-back kill to give the Paladins the set, 25-18, and a 1-0 lead. Ashley Muench tallied five first-set kills for the Spartans.
Furman came out with a vengeance in the second set, winning 11 of the first 12 points and opening up a 13-2 lead. Jamila Johnson contributed four kills during the Paladins’ streak. UNCG was competitive for the remainder of the set, but the 13-2 hole proved too much to overcome, as Furman clinched the second set, 25-16, courtesy a Bierman kill off a Wilks assist.
The Paladins again came out sizzling in the third set, earning a 5-0 advantage with the help of two Sikora kills. Their lead grew to 10-3 before a kill from UNCG’s Alexis Mourier seemed to give the Spartans life. UNCG was able to pull as close as 13-10 with a Muench kill followed by an Allison Penner ace, but the Paladins countered swiftly with a 3-0 run. It was all Furman the rest of the way, and Bierman finished off the set, 25-14, and the match with a kill down the middle.
The Paladins will face No. 1 seed Chattanooga on Monday at 6 p.m. in the championship match. It will be broadcast on ESPN3.
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