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No. 4 Chattanooga, No. 8 Furman advances to SoCon semifinals
Mocs rally to down No. 5 Wofford; Paladins upset top-seeded ETSU
No. 4 Chattanooga 3, No. 5 Wofford 2
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Fourth-seeded Chattanooga downed No. 5 Wofford 3-2 in Friday’s first match at the Southern Conference Volleyball Championship. The Mocs advance to face the winner of top-seeded ETSU and eighth-seeded Furman in the semifinals, slated for Saturday, Nov. 19, at 5 p.m. in Furman’s Timmons Arena.
In the first set, Wofford got on the board first after an attack error by Chattanooga. The Terriers would get out to a 3-1 lead before the Mocs would settle in to tie the score at 5 following a kill by Halle Olson. The two squads would split the next six points to keep the score tied at 8. Wofford would then score four straight points punctuated by a block from Sarah MacLean and Millie Loehr, a second-team all-conference performer. The Mocs would respond to eventually tie the score at 13 after a kill from first-team all-conference player Natalie Tyson.
Wofford went on another 4-0 run to go ahead 17-13, prompting Chattanooga to score five of the next six points to tie the score at 18 and force a Terrier timeout. Chattanooga’s momentum continued out of the break as the Mocs got the lead up to 20-18. Wofford then scored five straight to go up 23-20 following a kill from MacLean. Olson got a kill to stop the run from the Terriers, but the Mocs would not score again in the frame as two straight Chattanooga errors would end the set and Wofford took the opener 25-21.
In the second set, second-team all-conference performer Sarah Barham put Wofford up 1-0. After a side-out from the Mocs, Chattanooga would go on a run with Paige Gallentine, a second-team all-conference player, on the service line to take a 4-1 lead. Wofford chipped away at the lead to eventually take an 11-10 advantage following an attack error by Chattanooga. The Terriers’ run continued into the media timeout as Wofford led 15-12.
Wofford kept its foot on the pedal after the break, scoring five of the next six points punctuated by Kaitlyn Brown’s two straight service aces to put the Terriers up 20-13, forcing a timeout by Chattanooga. The Mocs would not go down quietly as Wofford’s lead would get down to 23-20 following a kill by Sophia Bossong that forced a Terrier timeout. Sydney Hall got a solo block for the Mocs after the timeout to bring Chattanooga with two, but Wofford would score the next two points to win the frame 25-21 to go ahead two sets to none.
The third set saw Wofford get off to a quick start as the Terriers led 4-1 after a ball handling error from Chattanooga. The Mocs would go on a run to eventually take an 11-10 lead on a solo block by Coniah Davis. Chattanooga kept its momentum going as Olson got a kill to put the Mocs up 15-12 going into the media timeout. Wofford scored four straight out of the break to take a 16-15 lead, but that was answered by Chattanooga scoring four of the next five points to go ahead 19-17, which forced a Terrier timeout.
The seesaw affair continued out of the break. The two teams were tied at 21 before Wofford got back-to-back kills from Barham and Kennedy Smith to force a timeout by the Mocs. Olson and Hall got back-to-back kills of their own to tie the score at 23, prompting a Terriers timeout. Wofford would get to match point on two different occasions after the timeout, the second coming with the score sitting at 25-24. Chattanooga then scored three straight points to win the set 27-25 with the final point coming on a service ace by Cassidy Couch. The third set had a total of 12 ties and five lead changes.
Chattanooga carried its emotional third-set victory into the fourth frame. The Mocs jumped out to a 4-1 advantage following an ace by Makenzie Jordan. Chattanooga kept the lead throughout the first half of the set as a kill from Elaine Redman put the Mocs up 12-8 and forced a timeout from Wofford. The Mocs’ lead eventually grew to 18-11, but the Terriers then scored six in a row to get within one following a kill by Loehr that made the score 18-17. Chattanooga answered by scoring three of the next four points to go ahead 21-18. The Terriers took a timeout at that point, but Wofford would not get any closer than two for the rest of the frame as Couch would end another set with an ace to give the Mocs a 25-21 victory and take the match into the fifth set.
In the deciding set, the two squads split the first six points of the frame before Chattanooga scored three straight points to lead 6-3 following a kill by Tyson. Mary Emily Morgan got a kill for Wofford to briefly stop the Mocs’ run, but Chattanooga would score the next five points to lead 11-4. Wofford got the next point on an error by Chattanooga, but Olson would get a kill to make the score 12-5 and force the Terriers to take a timeout. The two teams would alternate the next six points as a kill from Tyson ended the fifth set 15-8 and completed the comeback for Chattanooga.
Tyson led Chattanooga with a match-high 25 kills, followed by Olson who had 19. Gallentine finished 23 digs, while Hall finished with seven total blocks, five solo. Wofford was led by Morgan’s 14 kills, followed closely by Smith, who had 13. Four Terriers had double-digit digs, led by Abbey Richman’s match-high 24. Wofford setter Victoria Hensley, an all-freshman team selection, led all players in assists with 52, her season high, while Chattanooga setter Elaine Redman finished with 46 assists.
No. 8 Furman 3, No. 1 ETSU 1
GREENVILLE, S.C. – No. 8 Furman upset top-seed ETSU 3-1 in Friday’s second quarterfinal match at the Southern Conference Volleyball Championship, marking the second straight year that the Paladins upset the No. 1 seed in the quarterfinals after defeating Mercer a season ago. The Paladins, who downed No. 9 UNCG 3-1 in Monday’s first-round match, advance to face fourth-seeded Chattanooga in the semifinal round scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 19, at 5 p.m. in Furman’s Timmons Arena.
Furman scored the first three points of the first set to open the match. ETSU responded by scoring the next three to tie the score. The two teams split the next 10 points to bring the score to 8-8. Furman went on a 4-0 run after that to go ahead 12-8, which was countered by a kill from Amanda Lowe and a block from Jenna Forster and Lundyn Coffman, a first-team all-conference selection, to cut the lead to two. The Buccaneers continued to come back and would take a 15-14 lead into the media timeout following a service error by the Paladins.
After the break, Furman tied the score on the next point and would eventually regain the lead at 18-17 following an attack error from ETSU, which made the Buccaneers take a timeout. The teams would alternate points until the score was tied at 21, at which point Forster and Coffman combined for another block. ETSU would not surrender the lead again in the frame as the Buccaneers won the first set 25-22.
In the second set, the Paladins once again got the lead early as Furman led 6-2 following a kill by Morgan Cobb. ETSU was able to side-out on the next point, but the Paladins got the next two points to lead 8-3 and force a timeout by ETSU. The Buccaneers chipped away at the deficit and would eventually tie the score at 12 following kills from Lowe, Brianna Cantrell, the Rayna Taylor Freshman of the Year and second-team all-conference selection, and Forster.
After the two squads split the next six points, Furman scored three straight, punctuated by a kill from Sydney Tanner. The Paladins would build their advantage to 21-18, which forced a timeout from the Buccaneers. ETSU scored two straight out of the timeout, leading to Furman taking a timeout. The Paladins came out of the break and built their lead to 24-21. The Buccaneers scored the next two points before Cobb got a kill to end the frame 25-23 and tie the match at one set apiece.
In the third set, the two teams split the first 14 points. ETSU scored the next three points, but that was answered by a 4-0 run from Furman that concluded with a kill from Grainne McGrath. The score stayed within one point until ETSU grabbed a 19-17 lead on a kill by Forster to force a timeout from the Paladins. Furman scored five straight after the break with a solo block from Kelsey Watkins to put the Paladins up 22-19. ETSU would close the lead to 23-22, but Mary Beth Headley would get a kill and follow that with a service ace for Furman to end the frame 25-22 and put the Paladins ahead two sets to one.
ETSU opened the fourth set with three straight points, but Furman countered with the next three points to tie the score. The two squads were tied at 7 before Furman seized control of the frame. The Paladins scored four straight points to go ahead 11-7 and force a timeout from ETSU. Furman continued to build its lead after the break and got an ace from McGrath to go up 17-10 and prompt another timeout from the Buccaneers.
After the timeout, Furman got its lead to 18-11 and then preceded to score five straight to get two points within victory. The Buccaneers scored three points in a row to prolong the frame, but the Paladins would get back-to-back kills from Tanner and Ella Abraham to win the set 25-14 and take the match in four sets.
Cobb finished with a match-high 15 kills, which tied her career high. All-freshman team selection Lauren Haynes finished with a double-double, tallying 14 kills and a team-high 15 digs. Forster led ETSU in kills with 14, Caroline Dykes, the SoCon Setter of the Year and first-team all-conference performer, had a match-high 35 assists. Furman setter Sarah Turner had 31 assists. Furman hit .269 to ETSU’s .221.
2022 Southern Conference Volleyball Championship
Greenville, South Carolina
Monday, Nov. 14
First Round
Match 1: No. 8 Furman 3, No. 9 UNCG 1
Friday, Nov. 18
Quarterfinals
Match 2: No. 4 Chattanooga 3, No. 5 Wofford 2
Match 3: No. 8 Furman 3, No. 1 ETSU 1
Match 4: No. 2 Samford vs. No. 7 The Citadel, 5 p.m. (ESPN+)
Match 5: No. 3 Western Carolina vs. No. 6 Mercer, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Saturday, Nov. 19
Semifinals
Match 6: No. 4 Chattanooga vs. No. 8 Furman, 5 p.m. (ESPN+)
Match 7: Match 4 winner vs. Match 5 winner, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Sunday, Nov. 20
Championship
Match 8: Match 6 winner vs. Match 7 winner, 4 p.m. (ESPN+)
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Fourth-seeded Chattanooga downed No. 5 Wofford 3-2 in Friday’s first match at the Southern Conference Volleyball Championship. The Mocs advance to face the winner of top-seeded ETSU and eighth-seeded Furman in the semifinals, slated for Saturday, Nov. 19, at 5 p.m. in Furman’s Timmons Arena.
In the first set, Wofford got on the board first after an attack error by Chattanooga. The Terriers would get out to a 3-1 lead before the Mocs would settle in to tie the score at 5 following a kill by Halle Olson. The two squads would split the next six points to keep the score tied at 8. Wofford would then score four straight points punctuated by a block from Sarah MacLean and Millie Loehr, a second-team all-conference performer. The Mocs would respond to eventually tie the score at 13 after a kill from first-team all-conference player Natalie Tyson.
Wofford went on another 4-0 run to go ahead 17-13, prompting Chattanooga to score five of the next six points to tie the score at 18 and force a Terrier timeout. Chattanooga’s momentum continued out of the break as the Mocs got the lead up to 20-18. Wofford then scored five straight to go up 23-20 following a kill from MacLean. Olson got a kill to stop the run from the Terriers, but the Mocs would not score again in the frame as two straight Chattanooga errors would end the set and Wofford took the opener 25-21.
In the second set, second-team all-conference performer Sarah Barham put Wofford up 1-0. After a side-out from the Mocs, Chattanooga would go on a run with Paige Gallentine, a second-team all-conference player, on the service line to take a 4-1 lead. Wofford chipped away at the lead to eventually take an 11-10 advantage following an attack error by Chattanooga. The Terriers’ run continued into the media timeout as Wofford led 15-12.
Wofford kept its foot on the pedal after the break, scoring five of the next six points punctuated by Kaitlyn Brown’s two straight service aces to put the Terriers up 20-13, forcing a timeout by Chattanooga. The Mocs would not go down quietly as Wofford’s lead would get down to 23-20 following a kill by Sophia Bossong that forced a Terrier timeout. Sydney Hall got a solo block for the Mocs after the timeout to bring Chattanooga with two, but Wofford would score the next two points to win the frame 25-21 to go ahead two sets to none.
The third set saw Wofford get off to a quick start as the Terriers led 4-1 after a ball handling error from Chattanooga. The Mocs would go on a run to eventually take an 11-10 lead on a solo block by Coniah Davis. Chattanooga kept its momentum going as Olson got a kill to put the Mocs up 15-12 going into the media timeout. Wofford scored four straight out of the break to take a 16-15 lead, but that was answered by Chattanooga scoring four of the next five points to go ahead 19-17, which forced a Terrier timeout.
The seesaw affair continued out of the break. The two teams were tied at 21 before Wofford got back-to-back kills from Barham and Kennedy Smith to force a timeout by the Mocs. Olson and Hall got back-to-back kills of their own to tie the score at 23, prompting a Terriers timeout. Wofford would get to match point on two different occasions after the timeout, the second coming with the score sitting at 25-24. Chattanooga then scored three straight points to win the set 27-25 with the final point coming on a service ace by Cassidy Couch. The third set had a total of 12 ties and five lead changes.
Chattanooga carried its emotional third-set victory into the fourth frame. The Mocs jumped out to a 4-1 advantage following an ace by Makenzie Jordan. Chattanooga kept the lead throughout the first half of the set as a kill from Elaine Redman put the Mocs up 12-8 and forced a timeout from Wofford. The Mocs’ lead eventually grew to 18-11, but the Terriers then scored six in a row to get within one following a kill by Loehr that made the score 18-17. Chattanooga answered by scoring three of the next four points to go ahead 21-18. The Terriers took a timeout at that point, but Wofford would not get any closer than two for the rest of the frame as Couch would end another set with an ace to give the Mocs a 25-21 victory and take the match into the fifth set.
In the deciding set, the two squads split the first six points of the frame before Chattanooga scored three straight points to lead 6-3 following a kill by Tyson. Mary Emily Morgan got a kill for Wofford to briefly stop the Mocs’ run, but Chattanooga would score the next five points to lead 11-4. Wofford got the next point on an error by Chattanooga, but Olson would get a kill to make the score 12-5 and force the Terriers to take a timeout. The two teams would alternate the next six points as a kill from Tyson ended the fifth set 15-8 and completed the comeback for Chattanooga.
Tyson led Chattanooga with a match-high 25 kills, followed by Olson who had 19. Gallentine finished 23 digs, while Hall finished with seven total blocks, five solo. Wofford was led by Morgan’s 14 kills, followed closely by Smith, who had 13. Four Terriers had double-digit digs, led by Abbey Richman’s match-high 24. Wofford setter Victoria Hensley, an all-freshman team selection, led all players in assists with 52, her season high, while Chattanooga setter Elaine Redman finished with 46 assists.
No. 8 Furman 3, No. 1 ETSU 1
GREENVILLE, S.C. – No. 8 Furman upset top-seed ETSU 3-1 in Friday’s second quarterfinal match at the Southern Conference Volleyball Championship, marking the second straight year that the Paladins upset the No. 1 seed in the quarterfinals after defeating Mercer a season ago. The Paladins, who downed No. 9 UNCG 3-1 in Monday’s first-round match, advance to face fourth-seeded Chattanooga in the semifinal round scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 19, at 5 p.m. in Furman’s Timmons Arena.
Furman scored the first three points of the first set to open the match. ETSU responded by scoring the next three to tie the score. The two teams split the next 10 points to bring the score to 8-8. Furman went on a 4-0 run after that to go ahead 12-8, which was countered by a kill from Amanda Lowe and a block from Jenna Forster and Lundyn Coffman, a first-team all-conference selection, to cut the lead to two. The Buccaneers continued to come back and would take a 15-14 lead into the media timeout following a service error by the Paladins.
After the break, Furman tied the score on the next point and would eventually regain the lead at 18-17 following an attack error from ETSU, which made the Buccaneers take a timeout. The teams would alternate points until the score was tied at 21, at which point Forster and Coffman combined for another block. ETSU would not surrender the lead again in the frame as the Buccaneers won the first set 25-22.
In the second set, the Paladins once again got the lead early as Furman led 6-2 following a kill by Morgan Cobb. ETSU was able to side-out on the next point, but the Paladins got the next two points to lead 8-3 and force a timeout by ETSU. The Buccaneers chipped away at the deficit and would eventually tie the score at 12 following kills from Lowe, Brianna Cantrell, the Rayna Taylor Freshman of the Year and second-team all-conference selection, and Forster.
After the two squads split the next six points, Furman scored three straight, punctuated by a kill from Sydney Tanner. The Paladins would build their advantage to 21-18, which forced a timeout from the Buccaneers. ETSU scored two straight out of the timeout, leading to Furman taking a timeout. The Paladins came out of the break and built their lead to 24-21. The Buccaneers scored the next two points before Cobb got a kill to end the frame 25-23 and tie the match at one set apiece.
In the third set, the two teams split the first 14 points. ETSU scored the next three points, but that was answered by a 4-0 run from Furman that concluded with a kill from Grainne McGrath. The score stayed within one point until ETSU grabbed a 19-17 lead on a kill by Forster to force a timeout from the Paladins. Furman scored five straight after the break with a solo block from Kelsey Watkins to put the Paladins up 22-19. ETSU would close the lead to 23-22, but Mary Beth Headley would get a kill and follow that with a service ace for Furman to end the frame 25-22 and put the Paladins ahead two sets to one.
ETSU opened the fourth set with three straight points, but Furman countered with the next three points to tie the score. The two squads were tied at 7 before Furman seized control of the frame. The Paladins scored four straight points to go ahead 11-7 and force a timeout from ETSU. Furman continued to build its lead after the break and got an ace from McGrath to go up 17-10 and prompt another timeout from the Buccaneers.
After the timeout, Furman got its lead to 18-11 and then preceded to score five straight to get two points within victory. The Buccaneers scored three points in a row to prolong the frame, but the Paladins would get back-to-back kills from Tanner and Ella Abraham to win the set 25-14 and take the match in four sets.
Cobb finished with a match-high 15 kills, which tied her career high. All-freshman team selection Lauren Haynes finished with a double-double, tallying 14 kills and a team-high 15 digs. Forster led ETSU in kills with 14, Caroline Dykes, the SoCon Setter of the Year and first-team all-conference performer, had a match-high 35 assists. Furman setter Sarah Turner had 31 assists. Furman hit .269 to ETSU’s .221.
2022 Southern Conference Volleyball Championship
Greenville, South Carolina
Monday, Nov. 14
First Round
Match 1: No. 8 Furman 3, No. 9 UNCG 1
Friday, Nov. 18
Quarterfinals
Match 2: No. 4 Chattanooga 3, No. 5 Wofford 2
Match 3: No. 8 Furman 3, No. 1 ETSU 1
Match 4: No. 2 Samford vs. No. 7 The Citadel, 5 p.m. (ESPN+)
Match 5: No. 3 Western Carolina vs. No. 6 Mercer, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Saturday, Nov. 19
Semifinals
Match 6: No. 4 Chattanooga vs. No. 8 Furman, 5 p.m. (ESPN+)
Match 7: Match 4 winner vs. Match 5 winner, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Sunday, Nov. 20
Championship
Match 8: Match 6 winner vs. Match 7 winner, 4 p.m. (ESPN+)