CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Junior Merry Gebel tallied 15 kills for the second straight match and freshman Julia Gardon contributed a career-high 10 kills as Western Carolina swept Chattanooga 3-0 on Monday evening at the Ramsey Regional Activity Center. The Catamounts won by scores of 25-21, 25-21, and 25-16 as they defeated the Mocs in straight sets for the second consecutive day.

WCU improves to 3-5 overall and 3-3 in the Southern Conference while Chattanooga drops to 4-4 and 2-4. The Catamounts have won four straight matches over the Mocs dating back to last season, each in straight sets. 

Gebel had her seventh double-figure kill match and just missed her seventh straight double-double with nine digs. Gardon surpassed her previous personal-best mark of nine kills set in the second match against Clemson on Jan. 23. Freshman Destinee Dorsey logged a match-best 15 digs. Senior Hannah Price had 23 assists followed by redshirt sophomore Sydney Carlson with 14.

Mia Rackel paced Chattanooga with eight kills. Brenna Everingham had nine digs. Bailey Steger dished out 17 assists. 

Tied at 18 in the opening set, the Catamounts used a Gardon kill and a Carlson service ace for a 20-18 lead. The Mocs pulled within a point on two occasions before the Catamounts tallied three straight points for a 24-20 advantage after a Gebel kill. After a WCU error kept the Mocs alive, Gebel ended the set with a kill.

WCU opened the second set on a 10-5 run before the Mocs evened the set at 11. WCU broke a 14-14 tie and led by no fewer than three points the rest of the way as a Chattanooga error clinched the set for WCU and gave the Catamounts a 2-0 match lead.

The Catamounts opened the third set on a 7-3 run and led by as many as nine points in the third set. A kill by Gardon closed out the match.

WCU is off this weekend before returning to action on Wednesday, Feb. 24 against Wofford at 6 p.m. The match will be streamed on ESPN+ (paid subscription required).
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