Well as a Noel Player i'do prefer my opponent to block low more, since if i hit you on crouching position, i can get in a fat combos(well speaking of Rachell, i meant really fat combos)
and 3c is pretty slow actually ... it comes out just as fast as 2D, it's her sliding animation that makes an illusion if that moves comes out really fast, but the actual hit comes really late, i'do usually only use that moves as faraway pokes/low profile something/hit confirm 2c on croucher, since if it got blocked =
on neutral actually i'do have a little problem with Rachel 5b, random 3c is very dangerous on this matchup >_>
edit : and yeah, Noel J.b is really good on air to air, comes out really fast and active forever