CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (BVM) — The Chattanooga Lady Mocs volleyball team is streaking–breaking and continuing streaks, that is. 

Tuesday night, UTC defeated ETSU for the first time since 2016, in a match that took all five sets and was palpably intense throughout.

The Mocs dropped the first set 25-23 despite libero Paige Gallentine doing everything she could defensively. The reigning Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Week tallied nine digs in the first set, a handful of which were incredible efforts.

The teams continued to alternate points into the second set, and after a 2-0 run by ETSU to go up 20-18, Mocs head coach Travis Filar was forced to call a timeout. From that point forward in the match the tide was turned. UTC went on an instant 3-0 run and never looked back.

They won the third set in dominating fashion, 25-18, fizzled in the fourth set, and then returned to their inspired play in the fifth set, closing things out 15-12.

Energy was the story of the game. In the sets they won, the Mocs were loud and unapologetic. After a massive block by senior Gylian Finch in the third set, even Filar got in on the action, turning to his reserves and letting out a booming, “Let’s go!” that encapsulated the joy the team played with. 

In their losses, however, the team was plagued by lethargy and hushed tones, a condition they’ll find medicine for if they are to keep up their winning.

“As a coach, you want to see that all the time,” Filar said. “We talk all the time, you can’t control how well the other team serves, you can control some of the contacts that happen on your side, but what you can control all the time, whether things are going well or aren’t, is your effort and your energy.”

While there is still one regular-season game left to be played, this win calls for celebration. Aside from it being the first win against ETSU in five years, it’s also the fourth win in five games for a young UTC team that’s been scratching and clawing to get by all year.

“We said all along from the first day of camp in August we had an opportunity with this group, because of how young we were, to get better every single week, and to be a team that steadily, hopefully climbs and gets better,” Filar said. “I think myself and the team are tired of taking it on the chin like we did a lot of the early season. It’s time for us to give our dose of knockout punches.” 

The players deserve credit for their perseverance. Back in October, the team went through a stretch of five games winless, only winning two of the 17 total sets. Now, they’re a team that nobody wants to play. That kind of turnaround takes some real mental fortitude.

While he might be deferential to his players, showering them with credit, Filar and his staff should take a bow as well.

For a large portion of the season, due to injuries, the Mocs have struggled to have even just nine players available for practice–leaving them short for any six-on-six scrimmage possibilities.

“It hasn’t been easy, we’ve had nine healthy kids in practice for a month it seems like,” Filar said. “We can’t even go six on six in practice … It shows the toughness of our group. They’ve gritted and grinded.”

Preparing players to play without being able to simulate game-like situations is a tall task. Having success at the same time is an even more impressive feat that should not go unnoticed.

The Mocs in-conference record currently sits at 6-9, putting them at eighth in the standings. But, with a record pileup in the middle of the standings, UTC is only one game out of fourth place. With one game left in the regular season, a lot would have to happen for the team to rise that far up the rankings.

Going forward the Mocs can only control what they can control. That starts by playing well Saturday against Wofford on senior night. If UTC wins Saturday and gets some extra help in-conference, they could find themselves higher than the 8-seed, which would mean avoiding the SoCon tournament play-in game.

If this happens it will be tangible proof for a team that has hit its stride at the right time. If it doesn’t, that’s okay too, Either way the team would relish the opportunity to deliver just one more of those knockout punches.

A fan?

Follow your favorite teams