TIGERVILLE, S.C. – The Coker College men's volleyball team picked up its second straight win on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 27) with a 3-1 road win over the North Greenville University Crusaders.

In a tightly contested opening set, both teams exchanged four-point runs out of the gate to tie the game up at 4-4. The two teams would battle back and forth, with neither team able to string together more than three straight points at any time. However, the Crusaders would take the opening set 25-23.

The second set saw much of the same with Coker holding a slim 9-8 lead midway through the set. The Cobras proceeded to win eight of the next 10 points to take a 17-10 lead. After exchanging points, the Crusaders scored five straight points to cut the Coker lead to just two at 18-16. After stretching the lead back to 21-17, NGU mounted another comeback effort, winning six of the next eight points to tie the set up at 23-23. The Cobras would come up clutch, winning three of the final four points to take the second set 27-25 and tie the match up at 1 set apiece.

The third set was another competitive one between the two teams. Coker jumped out to an early 5-2 lead, only to have the Crusaders bounce back to tie things up at 6-6. NGU would pull ahead midway through the set, 14-11, but this is where the Cobras flexed their muscles. Coker won 10 of the next 13 points, including a 6-0 run to make the lead 21-17. The Navy and Gold rode the wave of momentum and took the third set 26-24 and a 2-1 sets lead.

The fourth set looked as if it was going to mirror the opening three, with the score 18-16 in favor of the Cobras. Coker opened up the flood gates down the stretch, reeling off seven straight points to close out the set, to win it 25-16 and win the match 3-1.

As a team, the Cobras hit .250 or better in all four sets. Joao Victor Santos recorded his third straight 20-plus kill match, blasting a match-high 25 kills. Artur Cabral finished the afternoon with 13 kills and seven service aces. Luke Hansen nearly had a double-double, recording seven kills and eight digs, while Luke Grupe finished with four kills. Aleksa Bijelic paced the Cobras offensively, dishing out 43 assists.

The Cobras will be back in action on Friday (Mar. 4) for day one of the Coker Invitational Tournament.