Volleyball Drops Conference Tilt at Lenoir-Rhyne Friday Night

HICKORY, N.C. - The Coker University volleyball team dropped its South Atlantic Conference tilt at Lenoir-Rhyne by a score of 3-0 on Friday (Nov. 15). 

Coker fell in the opening set 25-13 for Lenoir-Rhyne to take a 1-0 lead in the match. The two teams played to a 3-3 tie, before L-R would eventually go ahead 10-6. Coker would get back within one at 10-9, before the Bears would go on a run to extend their lead to 17-9. The Bears would grow their lead to 20-11, before winning five of the final seven points to take the opening set. 

Coker battled in the second set, but fell 25-21. The teams battled through early ties in the set to eventually lock up at 13-13, before later playing to a 17-17 tie in the set. L-R would win three straight points, before Coker would get back within two trailing the set 23-21. The Bears would close out the set from there for a 2-0 lead. 

L-R would close out the match with a 25-17 victory in the third set. The teams again battled through early ties to lock up at 7-7, before L-R would go on a 9-2 run for a 16-9 lead. Coker would respond with a 5-1 run to get back within three at 17-14, before the Bears would close out the set and the match on an 8-3 run. 

Taylor du Bray led the Cobras with 10 kills on the night, while Emily Everton also added eight kills for Coker. Chelsey Blume posted four kills, while Olivia Cerick and Sierra Harvey each had three kills and Alexis Kopicki and Carson Fuller each had one kill. Du Bray needs 11 kills to reach the coveted 1,000 kill plateau for her Coker career. Ashley Carson led the Cobras with 23 assists on the night, while Rami Mullen contributed three and Lauren Grooms also contributed one. Gabrielle Milo posted 10 digs to lead the Cobras, while Carson also had seven on the night. Cerick and Everton each contributed five digs, while du Bray also chipped in four. Kopicki, Maddie Gardner and Annie Mansfield each had one dig apiece in the contest. Blume led the blocking effort with three block assists, while Harvey and Fuller each had two block assists in the match. Everton, du Bray and Kopicki each had one block assists in the match. 

The Cobras conclude the 2019 season at Mars Hill tomorrow (Saturday, Nov. 16), with first serve set for 5:00 p.m.