Mercer University
Chattanooga
Volleyball Earns 3-1 Victory Over Chattanooga
10/18/2011 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
MACON, Ga. – Rightside hitters Anna Coursey and Caroline Carlton combined for 25 kills to lead Mercer to a 3-1 (25-19, 25-16, 20-25, 25-22) victory over Chattanooga in Tuesday night's non-conference volleyball match at the University Center.
Mercer's second-straight win boosted the team to 8-15 on the season while Chattanooga fell to 5-18.
"I'm happy to come away with the win tonight," Mercer head coach Noelle Rooke said. "Hopefully this victory will leave us better prepared for conference play this weekend."
Carlton led the team in kills for the first time this season, booking a season-high 13 in the victory. Carlton's 13 kills came by virtue of 29 swings as she finished with a .276 hitting percentage. Coursey collected her 12 kills on 25 attempts with only two errors, equating to a .400 hitting percentage.
"I'm proud of our lone freshman leading us offensively tonight," Rooke said. "She came out swinging and played aggressive the whole match."
Coursey added four block assists and three digs in the win while Carlton had one assist and one dig.
Junior Monica Sanchez dished out 30 assists and narrowly missed her third double-double of the season with nine digs. Sanchez' 30 assists marked the second time this season she has booked 30 or more helpers.
Junior Jennifer Katona had her team-leading 10th double-digit kill performance, knocking down 10 in the victory. Katona's 10 kills came in conjunction with seven-block assists and three digs.
In the first set, Chattanooga held a 17-15 advantage before Mercer employed a 5-1 run. A Chattanooga timeout did little to deter the Mercer momentum as the Bears ultimately claimed the frame 25-19.
In the second set, Mercer raced out to a 6-2 lead and never trailed en route to a 25-16 win. In the third, Mercer was ahead 10-3 before Chattanooga closed the set on a 22-10 run.
The fourth set was the most hotly contested, featuring six tie scores and four lead changes. Mercer broke away from a 15-15 tie with a 6-1 run, creating the separation needed to win the match.
Mercer returns to conference play this weekend, traveling to ETSU and USC Upstate on Friday and Saturday. Friday's match at ETSU is scheduled for 7 p.m. while Saturday's contest at USC Upstate is a 3 p.m. start.
