Oct. 2, 2002
Final Stats
Cullowhee, N.C. - The Lady Catamount volleyball team continued their 8-match winning streak Wednesday evening in the Ramsey Center as they shut down Chattanooga, 30-22, 30-20, 30-15, for the sweep. With the win, WCU improves to 14-4 (6-0 SoCon), while the Lady Mocs drop to 4-13 (1-6 SoCon). At 6-0 in the league, this is Western Carolina's best start since going 8-0 in 1986 before losing its first conference match. The Cats are currently tied with Georgia Southern for the lead in the conference.
The teams battled back and forth in the first until the Cats came out with a 8-2 surge, powered by three kills from sophomore Tricia Eble and a block, with assistance from Marlayna Stoetzel, to put the game at 13-7. The Mocs came back to tie at 19 a piece on a kill by Kari Krouse, and again at 20-20 on a kill by Kelley Smith, but the Catamounts pulled away on a 10-2 run to give them the first game.
In the second, it was junior Michelle Gorton who served for eight straight points, and a couple kills from Sara Komosinski, to help the Cats to a 16-7 lead. Western edged the Mocs even further on a service ace by Eble to make the score 22-11. Krouse came to the aid of UTC late in the second with two aces and a kill by Kelly Ramsay to make it 26-20. However, after a kill by Eble, junior Shari Harder served three straight points to give WCU its second win for the night.
Stoetzel found her serve early in the third, posting two aces and receiving help on two kills by Gorton to make it 9-3. The Cats went on another surge on Stefanie Peters' serve, led by Gorton with two kills, to put them ahead 19-9. The Mocs would only earn six more points for the night, led by Tracie Grant and Ramsay with one kill a piece. Western took the final game, 30-15, after two straight kills by Stefanie Peters.
"Our girls played very well tonight," praised head coach Angell Benson. "This was probably one of the best team efforts I've seen of them this year. Tonight was a great opportunity for us to get geared up for another SoCon match this weekend against Georgia Southern."
Western Carolina was led by Gorton with 14 kills and a .320 hitting percentage. Harder had 47 assists for the night, while Peters led in digs with 15.
Kelley Smith led the Mocs with seven kills and a .294 hitting percentage. Jessica Woodby had 22 assists and Lindsey Galloway led UTC with 12 digs.
WCU hosts the only other undefeated team in the league in Georgia Southern on Sunday (Oct. 6) at 2 pm in the Ramsey Center, after UTC hosts the same team on Saturday at 2 pm.
