CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Junior Merry Gebel posted a double-double with 15 kills and a career-high 23 digs while classmate Haley Multerer logged a career-high 15 kills as Western Carolina (2-5, 2-3) kicked off the home portion of the 2020-21 schedule with a 3-0 sweep of Chattanooga (4-3, 2-3). The Catamounts won by scores of 25-21, 25-23, and 29-27.

Gebel logged her sixth straight double-double of the season as her 15 kills are her second-most in a match this season while her 23 digs surpass a previous career-high of 19 recorded on three previous occasions including twice this year. Multerer's 15 kills eclipsed a previous benchmark of 13 set against Clemson last month. Senior Makenzie White also finished in double-digits in kills with 10. Freshman Destinee Dorsey tallied 20 digs from her libero position while redshirt sophomore Sydney Carlson handed out a match-best 25 assists.

Hayden McGee led Chattanooga with 15 kills followed by Gylian Finch with 12. Paige Gallentine had a team-best 17 digs.

With the opening set tied at 18, a kill by White gave the Catamounts a lead they wouldn't relinquish in the race to 25 points. Chattanooga pulled within a point, 22-21, on a MacKenzie Saitta kill before three straight Moc errors closed out the set as WCU took a 1-0 lead.

In the second set, Chattanooga took an early 10-5 advantage and led 18-11 following a McGee kill. But the Catamounts wouldn't go quietly. WCU tallied the next eight points to take a 19-18 lead following a Dorsey service ace before the Mocs tied the set on the next serve with a McGee kill. After the Mocs knotted the set at 23, a Multerer kill gave the hosts set point with a Chattanooga error closing out the stanza.

The tightly contested third set featured four lead changes and 11 ties.  A Gebel block gave the hosts a 20-17 lead before the Mocs fought back to even the set at 22. Chattanooga had set-point on three occasions, but WCU kept the match alive thanks to kills. Hannah Price's kill broke a 27-27 stalemate before the final kill by Gebel closed out the match.

WCU and Chattanooga conclude their two-match set on Monday at 5 p.m. The match will be streamed on ESPN+ (paid subscription required).

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