HARTSVILLE, S.C. - The Coker University volleyball team downed Catawba in straight sets 3-0 in South Atlantic Conference action on Friday night (Oct. 25).
The Cobras took the opening set 25-13 for a 1-0 lead in the match. Catawba jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the set, before Coker rattled off seven straight points to take the lead. The two teams played to a 9-9 tie from there, before Coker won the next five points to go ahead 14-9 and force a Catawba timeout. Coker would win five of the next nine points, before finishing off the set with a run of six straight points.
Coker won the second set 25-18 to go ahead 2-0 in the match. The two teams played to an early 4-4 tie in the set, before Coker would win six of the next eight points to go ahead 12-6 and force a Catawba timeout. Catawba would win the next two points out of the timeout, before Coker would win the next six points to stretch the lead to 18-8. The Indians would get back in the set by later getting the match back within seven at 24-17, before Coker finished off the set.
The Cobras would seal the sweep with a 25-16 victory in the third set. Coker was awarded its first point due to a Catawba infraction, which propelled the Cobras to early leads of 6-1 and 7-2. Coker continued its run to go ahead 14-6, before Catawba would win the next three points to get back within five. Coker inched closer and closer to the sweep, before Catawba got back within seven at 23-16 to force a Coker timeout. The Cobras would seal the victory from there to earn the sweep at home.
The Cobras hit a season-best .337 in the match, totaling 43 kills. Chelsey Blume and Emily Everton each posted a team-high 10 kills in the match, while Alexis Kopicki and Taylor du Bray each registered six kills. Sierra Harvey added five kills, while Payton Jackson chipped in three. Coker also received contributions from Rami Mullen (two) and Olivia Cerick (one). Ashley Carson paced the Cobras with 21 assists, while Mullen also added 13. Lauren Grooms (three), Blume (two), Camryn Tate (two) and Cerick (one) also recorded assists on the night. Cerick and Tate each posted two aces, while Blume and Carson each had one. Tate led the Cobras with 14 digs on the night, while Everton contributed eight and Mullen added seven. Cerick chipped in six digs in the match, while Carson had five and du Bray registered four. Coker also had digs from Harvey (two), Kopicki (one), Blume (one) and Grooms (one). Blume and Harvey each recorded a solo block in the match, while Blume and du Bray each registered a team-high six block assists in the win. Harvey (two), Everton (one) and Jackson also chipped in one block assist each.
The Cobras are back in action at the DeLoach Center tomorrow afternoon (Saturday, Oct. 26) when they host the Queens (N.C.) Royals. First serve is set for 2:00 p.m.
McDonald's Player of the Game - Chelsey Blume