Hartsville, SC- The Coker Cobra Volleyball team opened their season at home on Wednesday night with a match against the Braves of UNC-Pembroke. Unfortunately, things did not go as the Cobras had hoped, as they fell to the Braves 3-2, with game scores of 30-24 (Coker), 32-30 (Coker), 30-15 (UNC-P), 30-18 (UNC-P), and 20-18 (UNC-P). The loss drops the Cobras to 1-4 on the season, while Pembroke improves to 3-1 overall.

Coker got off to a hot start winning games one and two with scores of 30-24 and 32-30 respectively, but UNC-P came out firing on all cylinders in games three and four. The fifth game of the match was a back and forth battle that eventually saw the Braves come away with the victory.

Senior Margaret Madison/Savannah, GA, led the Cobras with 21 kills, 19 digs and four aces, while Megan Haupt/Summerville, SC, and Samantha Cliborne/Goose Creek, SC, each had 12 kills, while Haupt also had 14 digs. Kelsey Carlson/Osweego, IL, and Natalie Schembra/Hilton Head, SC, had 26 and 16 digs respectively, while Courtney Butrym/Columbia, SC, had 54 assists in the match.

For UNC-Pembroke, Jessica Hartley/Summitville, IN, had 15 kills and six digs, and Rachel Young/Leesburg, VA, had 13 kills in the match. Rebekah Niesborella/ Huntersville, NC, added 10 kills of her own, while Heather Fierce/Muncie, IN, had 52 assists and 17 digs. Andrea Laza/Cary, NC, Lacie Johnson/Hagerstown. MD, and Tiara Anderson/Gainesville, FL, had 32, 13 and 13 digs respectively.

The Cobras return to the court on Saturday, as they head to Pfeiffer University for a two match tournament. Coker will face Southern Connecticut and Fayetteville State starting at 12:30 p.m.