HARTSVILLE, S.C. - The Coker University volleyball team dropped its South Atlantic Conference match to visiting Mars Hill on Saturday (Oct. 5) by a score of 3-0. 

Mars Hill took the opening set by a score of 25-14 to start the afternoon. The Lions jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the first, before stretching their lead to 12-6 and forcing a Coker timeout. Out of the timeout, the Lions would go on a 6-3 run to stretch their lead to 18-9. Mars Hill would close out the set from there. 

Coker would regroup and battle in the second set, but Mars Hill would go up 2-0 with a 25-20 victory. Mars Hill jumped out to a 9-3 lead, before Coker would get back within three at 10-7. A 5-2 run by Mars Hill would get Coker to spend a timeout, before Coker would battle back with a 6-1 run of its own to get back within one at 16-15. The two teams would go back and forth, before Mars Hill would re-gain command of the set at 21-16. Mars Hill would win four of the next eight points to close out the set. 

Mars Hill would close out the match with a 25-17 victory in the third set. The teams played to an early 3-3 tie, before Mars Hill would go on a 6-1 run to go up 9-4. The Lions would extend their lead to as many as nine in the set, before Coker would eventually get back within four at 16-12. Mars Hill would nine of the next 14 points to close out the match. 

Coker hit .070 and totaled 31 kills in the match. Emily Everton and Taylor du Bray each posted a team-high eight kills for Coker, while Sierra Harvey also added seven kills. Coker also received kills from Chelsey Blume (three), Olivia Cerick (three), Alexis Kopicki (one) and Camryn Tate (one). Ashley Carson led the Cobras with 21 assists, while Rami Mullen added four and Cerick, and Tate each chipped in one. Tate led the Cobras with 17 digs on the day, while du Bray and Carson each registered 10. Coker also had digs from Cerick (nine), Everton (seven), Mullen (three), Blume (one) and Maddie Gardner (one). Blume recorded the lone solo block on the day for Coker, while also sharing the team lead in block assists with Everton (four each). Harvey added three block assists on the day, while Cerick (two) and du Bray (one) each also recorded block assists in the contest. 

Coker hits the road next weekend (Oct. 11-12) to travel to Tusculum on Friday (Oct. 11) and UVA-Wise (Oct. 12) in South Atlantic Conference competition.

 McDonald's Player of the Game – Ashley Carson