CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (Sept. 26, 2014) – There’s no better way to get back in the win column than beating your in-state rival.

The ETSU volleyball team looks to do just that as the Bucs head to Chattanooga for their first Southern Conference road game on Saturday afternoon. First serve is set for 3 p.m. inside Maclellan Gym.

ETSU (4-11, 0-1 SoCon) looks to snap its five-match losing skid.  

LAST TIME OUT

ETSU suffered a three-set loss (16-25, 17-25, 24-26) to Furman last Tuesday night inside Brooks Gym.

Freshman Rylee Milhorn (Kingsport, Tenn.) led the Bucs with 10 kills, while senior Katie Muey (Alexandria, Ind.) finished with a match-high 19 digs.

The Bucs led the third set, 24-22, but the Paladins rattled off four consecutive points to complete the sweep, resulting in just ETSU’s third home loss in 22 games.

ABOUT CHATTANOOGA

Chattanooga (7-8, 0-0 SoCon) has won six of its last eight matches and the Mocs open conference play Friday night against Samford.

Four of Chattanooga’s wins has come at home, while the Mocs have swept three of their opponents this season.

Junior middle blocker Sarah Batterton leads the team with 111 kills (2.27 per set), while freshman Lauren Greenspoon and sophomore Anne Bachmann have split time in the setter role. Greenspoon is averaging 5.44 assists per set (294 total) and Bachmann is posting 5.96 assists per set (268 total).

The Mocs lead the SoCon in digs per set (16.14) and rank third in the conference with a .209 attack percentage.

Chattanooga was picked fifth in the Preseason SoCon Coaches’ Poll.

SERIES HISTORY

Saturday marks the 57th all-time meeting, with ETSU holding a 29-27 lead.

The Bucs have won six of the last seven meetings, including a 3-0 win over the Mocs back in 2012 at the Clemson Classic.

NOTABLES

• As a team, ETSU ranks 30th nationally in total blocks (130.0). Individually, Katie Muey ranks 23rd in the NCAA in total digs (268) and Meredith Hardy is 46th in total blocks (60).
• Katie Muey’s 33 digs in the three-set win over Lehigh on Sept. 6 not only broke the ETSU single-match record for digs in a three-set match, but the 33 digs are also the second-highest total in a three-setter this season among NCAA players. Meanwhile, Meredith Hardy’s 12 blocks in the three-set win over George Mason on Sept. 5, mark the most blocks by any NCAA player this season in a three-set match.
• Hardy ranks second among active NCAA career leaders in total blocks (530), third in blocks per set (1.29), 13th in sets played (418) and 53rd in kills (1,049). Meanwhile, Muey ranks third among active NCAA career leaders in sets played (434) and 31st in total digs (1,410).
• Hardy enters the match needing eight blocks to break the all-time ETSU record. Currently, Jennifer Pennington (1993-96) holds the record with 537.
• Muey is 30 digs shy of passing Jennifer Manchester (1992-95) for fifth-place all-time in the Buccaneer record book.
• Ivey Rice is 55 kills away from recording No. 1,000 for her career.
• After reaching her 3,000th career assist last Saturday, senior Jamie Rutledge needs 13 assists to move past Carey Cavanaugh (1999-01) for fourth all-time in ETSU history.
• Meredith Hardy has recorded at least one block in 108 straight matches, while Khadijah Wiley has accomplished the feat in 46 straight matches.
• ETSU is coming off back-to-back 20-plus win seasons, while its 16 conference wins last year set a program record.
• The Bucs captured their sixth regular season conference championship in 2013 (Atlantic Sun) and return to the Southern Conference after spending the last nine years in the A-Sun.

COVERAGE

Chattanooga will offer both live video and stats for Saturday’s match.

Live video will be offered for free on the SoCon Digital Network.

Twitter updates will also be available by following @ETSUAthletics and @ETSUVolleyball.

TEXTCASTER

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For more information on Buccaneer volleyball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the volleyball page.