Freshman Belle Patrick recorded a game-high 15 kills, willing Virginia Tech to victory. 

September 23, 2024

By: Miles Jordan

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          BLACKSBURG - Virginia Tech volleyball (5-4) defeated the Chattanooga Mocs (8-5) in a come-from-behind four-set match (19-25) (25-15) (25-22) (25-11) on Thursday night at Cassell Coliseum.

 

          Chattanooga's early lead was due to the energy they brought into Cassell. All 21 members of the Mocs roster were rowdy and energetic, leading chants and disrupting the flow of Tech’s offense.   

 

          The energy from the opposing bench and strong play from senior outside hitter Chard’e Vanzandt, who recorded a team-high 10 kills, were the main reasons the Mocs continued to score runs and outperformed the Hokies to capture the first set. Chattanooga put together three separate runs of three or more straight points scored to lead the Hokies by seven at one point in the first set. 

 

          However, going down early in the game did not diminish Virginia Tech's spirit. The Hokies found their rhythm in the second set and answered with a few scoring runs of their own.  Tech freshman outside hitter Belle Patrick recorded five kills in the second set, helping the Hokies win eight out of the nine previous points scored. She helped win three straight points, which Tech followed up with a five-point run to take a 13-8 lead in Set Two. 

 

          From there, the Hokies never looked back, and neither did Patrick. The true freshman finished the contest with a game-high 15 kills, picking her spots easily at the feet of Chattanooga players. The Hokies recorded 62 total kills on 55 assists — 20 more kills and 19 more assists than the Mocs. 

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          "Virginia Tech is hitting as efficiently as we have seen them," said Virginia Tech senior and ACC Network play-by-play broadcaster Kyle Marchak.