HARTSVILLE, S.C. - The Coker University volleyball team won its home finale on Senior Day Saturday (Nov. 9), defeating UVA-Wise 3-1.
UVA-Wise took the opening set 25-23 for a 1-0 lead. Coker jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, before UVa-Wise responded with five in a row to go ahead. The two teams would play to a 9-9 tie, before UVA-Wise would rattle off four straight to go ahead 13-9. Coker would respond by tying the match at 13-13, before the teams battled back and forth to leave UVA-Wise ahead 18-17. The Cavaliers would eventually go ahead 21-17, before four straight from Coker tied the set at 21-21. After playing to ties at 22-22 and 23-23, UVA-Wise would take the opening set.
Coker would tie the match 1-1 by winning a wild 36-34 second set. UVA-Wise jumped out to a 6-3 lead, before the teams would end up tied at 10. The teams battled back and forth as Coker led 17-15, before the two teams remained tied at 19-19. The two teams continued to battle it out, as Coker led 24-21 at set point. UVA-Wise battled three straight set points to tie the set at 24, before the two teams would play bonus volleyball to decide a winner. They eventually played to ties at 30-30 and 31-31, before eventually locking back up at 34-34. Coker would win the final two points of the set to finally win the set.
Coker took the third set 25-19 for a 2-1 lead in the match. The two teams played to an early 5-5 tie, before Coker went ahead 10-6. The Cobras extended their lead to 14-8, before leading by as many as nine later on in the set. UVA-Wise would get back within five, before Coker would close the set winning four out of the last seven points.
The Cobras would clinch the match with a 26-24 win in the fourth set. Coker jumped out to a 5-1 lead, before UVA-Wise would come back to eventually tie the match at 6-6. The two teams would continue to battle back and forth leaving them tied at 13-13, before the teams would continue to trade points leaving them tied 19-19. The teams would eventually play to a 23-23 tie, before Coker would finish off the set and the match from there.
Chelsey Blume and Taylor du Bray each posted a team-high 13 kills in the match, while Emily Everton also had 10 kills in the match. Du Bray moved into fourth place all-time on the career kills list at Coker, bringing her total to 979 and passing Frederica McClary(969, 2001-04). Coker also got kills from Alexis Kopicki (eight), Sierra Harvey (six), Carson Fuller (five), Rami Mullen (four), Olivia Cerick (one) and Ashley Carson (one). Mullen's 31 assists led the Cobras on the afternoon, while Carson also dished out 20 assists. Coker also got assists from Camryn Tate (five), Kopicki (one), Blume (one) and Everton (one). Maddie Gardner led the team with two service aces, while Mullen (one), Everton (one)T and Tate (one) also had aces in the match. Tate's 28 digs led the Cobras, while Everton posted a double-double with 11 digs. Coker also received digs from Ashley Carson (nine), Mullen (seven), Kopicki (six), Cerick (six), Fuller (four), Blume (three), Gardner (three), du Bray (two) and Harvey (one). Blume recorded two solo blocks, while Everton and Fuller also posted solo blocks in the match. Blume and Harvey each had four block assists on the day, while Fuller had two and Kopicki, Everton and Payton Jackson each had one.
The Cobras will wrap up the regular season next weekend (Nov. 15-16), when they travel to Lenoir-Rhyne on Friday (7:00 p.m.) and Mars Hill on Saturday (2:00 p.m.).
McDonald's Player of the Game - Taylor du Bray