CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Lauren Gainer posted a match-high 13 kills and Nicole Sumida added 11 as Chattanooga earned its first victory in Southern Conference play with a 25-20, 25-14, 25-22 victory over The Citadel on Friday evening.
 
The Mocs (8-10, 1-2 SoCon) used the tandem of Gainer and Sumida to finish with 44 team kills and a .290 hitting percentage. Defensively, three Chattanooga players reached double digits in digs including Catherine Chason (14), Allie Davenport (13) and Brianna Guzinski (11).
 
Meanwhile, Bailey Kernodle (nine kills) and Lauren Hurt (eight) were the bright spots for a Citadel offense that tallied 27 kills. Hurt posted eight kills in 19 total attacks, committing only two errors, to close with .316 hitting percentage. Her defense, which included four assisted blocks, was also key for The Citadel, which dropped to 5-12 overall and 0-3 in league play.
 
Chattanooga and The Citadel went back-and-forth in the opening set, as each team held at least a two-point advantage over the first 34 points, as the game reached a 17-all deadlock. The Mocs used a series of kills by Kristy Wieser and Julimar Alvarado to spark an 8-3 run down the stretch as they completed the five-point win.
 
The Mocs grabbed the momentum early in the second set, establishing a 7-1 lead due in large part to three kills by Nicole Sumida. Three kills and two service aces by Kernodle allowed the Dogs to account for nine of the next 14 points, making for a 12-10 contest. It was there that Guzinski and Chason took over in serve for Chattanooga, allowing just four Citadel points as the Mocs assumed a 2-0 advantage in the match.
 
Chattanooga overcame early challenges from the Bulldogs in the third set to eventually take a 15-8 lead following a series of kills by Alvarado, Weiser and Sarah Batterton. A Citadel timeout at the midway point of the set prompted a 15-9 run, highlighted by three kills from Kernodle and six unforced Chattanooga errors, pulling the Dogs within one point of the lead. However, the Mocs staved off the rally with a series of kills by Gainer to complete the sweep with a three-point victory.
 
The Citadel returns to action on Saturday evening when the team heads to Birmingham, Ala., to take on Samford at 7 p.m.