Young Lady Mocs start season strong

The Lady Mocs volleyball team kicked off its season over the weekend in Morehead, Ky., with the Comfort Inn and Suites Invitational.In the first match Friday afternoon, Chattanooga dispatched East Tennessee State in four sets, winning 3-1.

Three Lady Mocs made their Chattanooga debut, and the young squad put away the Bucs in a tightly contested match. Freshman Kirsten Beasley, from Amarillo, Tex., made the most of her inaugural match, leading both teams in kills with 15, as well as piling up 10 digs.

Another freshman starter, Paula Passmore from Meritt Island, Fla., will have the task of replacing the nation's all-time digs leader, Laura Newberry, at libero.

Newberry started all four years at the position for the Lady Mocs and piled national records for digs in a match, career digs and digs in a single season.

For a first impression, Passmore had a match-high 33 digs.

The veterans made their presence known as well.

Senior Cassie Connor had 41 assists and two aces, while junior Courtney Barnes, Franklin, Tenn., led the team with a .500 attacking percentage.

The second match of the tournament was not so promising for UTC.

Barnes once again led the team with an attacking percentage of .316 and 11 kills, but the host team, Morehead State, swept the Lady Mocs in three sets.

Morehead Sate had a team hitting percentage of .300, which proved to be too much even for Passmore who made it two consecutive matches leading both teams in digs. She had 13 in the three sets.

After splitting two matches Friday, the Lady Mocs needed a victory Saturday against James Madison to conclude the opening weekend with a winning record.

Chattanooga came out firing with 27 kills in the first two sets to take a commanding 2-0 lead. Despite another 29 kills in the next two sets for the Lady Mocs, James Madison climbed back in the match to tie it at two a piece.

It was Barnes yet again leading the way offensively with a .536 attacking percentage while totaling 16 kills on her own. She added six blocks defensively. Freshman Heather Parman, Ooltewah, Tenn., also stepped up with 21 kills and 11 digs for her first collegiate double-double.

Late in the fifth set it looked like the offensive outburst and early lead would be spoiled.

James Madison led 13-9 in the first-to-15, rally-scoring, final set when junior Bailee Chastain, Signal Mountain, Tenn., came in to serve for the Lady Mocs.

Under the pressure, Chastain never lost a serve. Chattanooga scored six straight points and came back to win the final set 15-9, salvaging a 2-1 opening weekend record.

The Chattanooga volleyball team returns to action Sept. 8 at Tennessee State, and will make their first appearance in Maclellan Gymnasium at home Sept. 11 against Austin Peay.