Sept. 25, 2003
Final Stats
Cullowhee, N.C. - Led by freshman Kellyn Thaut, Western Carolina slammed past Chattanooga, 3-1, in Southern Conference volleyball action Tuesday night. The Catamounts improve to 8-7 overall and 1-1 in the SoCon, while the Lady Mocs drop to 5-8, 1-1.
Although both teams were hitting well to start the match, Western edged the Mocs, hitting .378 percent in the first game to UTC's .226 percent to set the tone early. Setter Shari Harder knocked down four balls on five attacks with no errors for the near perfect game, adding 15 assists. Despite a strong effort from Chattanooga's Kelley Smith with four kills on nine attacks, the Cats claimed the first game, 30-27.
Western continued to dominate at the net in the second, posting two blocks to bring their total to four, while UTC had none. Thaut and Harder connected for three points in the game, while Thaut picked up two aces to add to her point total. With Emily McGinnis and Rachel Beard sharing the setting duties, recording six and five assists respectively, the Mocs had excellent scoring opportunities. However, the Catamounts still managed to out-hit UTC, .372 - .207. Western won the second game, 30-21.
Chattanooga came charging back in the third set after intermission, this time led by the hitting efforts of Jody Steinberger and Kari Krouse. The Mocs still needed some help at the net, so Liz Inskeep entered the UTC lineup. Not long after, Inskeep knocked down the first block of the match for the Lady Mocs. Sara Komosinski and Heather Koontz tried to keep the Cats alive, recording five kills a piece in the game, but Chattanooga hung on for the 30-24 win.
In the fourth contest, Thaut decided to put the match away as she tallied six kills on 19 attacks with no errors. Steinberger had six kills of her own for the Mocs, but Western had an answer for every UTC rally. Komosinski nailed the match-winning ball into a whole on the opposite side of the net to give WCU the 30-27 win in the final game.
Thaut finished with a team-leading 18 kills, three aces and 17 digs, adding three assisted blocks for 22.5 total points on the night. Komosinski had a stellar night for the Cats with 12 kills on 25 attacks with no errors for a .480 hitting percentage. She also led the team with six blocks. Harder had 47 assists, adding seven kills, nine digs and one block. Western had nine total team blocks in the match and out-hit UTC .258 - .199.
The Mocs were led by Steinberger with 16 kills on 42 attacks, adding 18 digs. Krouse led the team with 21 digs, adding 11 kills and a team-leading three aces. UTC had 82 digs to Western's 78 and nine total team service aces for the match.
The Catamounts continue their home stand as they host East Tennessee State next Tuesday, Sept. 30, at 7 pm in the Ramsey Center.
