CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Western Carolina earned its second Southern Conference win in as many nights, earning a 3-1 win over Chattanooga on Saturday at Maclellan Gym.

WCU is 6-7 on the season and 2-0 in league matches. Chattanooga is 4-11 and 0-2.

Senior Merry Gebel led the Catamounts with 14 kills, earning a double-double 11 digs. Sophomore Livi Weidmann also finished in double figures offensive with 12 kills. Freshman Sarah Janourova had 20 assists and was closely followed by senior Sydney Carlson with 19. Janourova and Carlson both logged double-doubles as each was credited with 12 digs. Sophomore Destinee Dorsey had a team-best 22 digs.

Chloe Bryan led the Mocs with 12 kills and was closely followed by Maia Rackel with 11 kills. Paige Gallentine recorded 22 digs with Liz Tomlin adding 14. Sophia Bossong dished out a match-best 30 assists.

The Catamounts pulled ahead to a 13-8 lead in the opening set following a Gebel kill but the Mocs would chip away at the WCU lead, tying the set at 19 on an Abby Ekeler service ace. With the set tied at 20, the Mocs tallied five straight points and won the set on an Aleya Kennedy kill.

A Gardon kill gave WCU a 9-4 advantage early in the second set. After a WCU error brought the Mocs within two, 15-13, the Catamounts responded with five of the next six points for a 20-14 lead following a Weidmann kill. A block by Johnna Robinson and MaKenzie White gave the Catamounts set point, with a Gebel kill closing out the set and evening the match at 1.

WCU raced out to a 10-2 lead in the third set and led by no fewer than six points the rest of the way, clinching the set on a Gebel kill.

Gebel gave the Catamounts an 11-5 lead fourth set following a kill. After the Mocs pulled within one, 20-19, a Weidmann kill and a block by Carlson and Robinson gave the Catamounts a 22-19 edge. Chattanooga cut the WCU lead to two, 22-20, but WCU scored the final three points of the match, clinching the win with a Julia Gardon service ace.  

After playing its first 13 matches on the road, the Catamounts open the home portion of their schedule against Mercer on Friday at 6 p.m.

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