Cobras Fall in Three Sets at Tusculum Friday Night

GREENEVILLE, TENN. - The Coker University volleyball team dropped its South Atlantic Conference match at Tusculum University by a score of 3-0 on Friday (Oct. 11). 

Tusculum took the opening set in convincing fashion 25-14 to take a 1-0 lead in the match. The Pioneers jumped out to a 4-0 lead, before the two teams would battle back and forth to ties at 7-7 and then 8-8. Tusculum would go on a run to extend its lead to 15-10 and force a Coker timeout. Tusculum would finish the set on a 10-4 run to take the opening set. 

Tuscululm took the second set by a score of 25-23 to go ahead 2-0. Coker would hold early leads of 8-4, 11-6 and 13-7, before Tusculum battled back to trail only just one at 14-13. The two teams would go back and forth in several ties, last being tied at 21-21. Tusculum would capture four out of the final six points to win the second set. 

 Tusculum would sweep the match with a 25-20 victory in the third set. Coker would jump out to leads of 6-1, 8-4 and 14-10, before Tusculum would call timeout. The Pioneers would knot the match at 14-14, before Tuscuum would take six out of the next eight points to go up 20-16. The Pioneers would finish with a 5-4 run to close the set and seal the match. 

Coker hit .091 on the night, with 25 total kills. Emily Everton led the Cobras with seven kills, while Olivia Cerick also finished with six kills on the night. Taylor du Bray also contributed four kills in the match, bringing her career total to 897. Chelsey Blume also registered three kills, while Sierra Harvey and Carson Fuller each recorded two kills in the match. Ashley Carson led the Cobras with 11 assists on the night, while Rami Mullen chipped in eight, du Bray added two and Cerick and Gabrielle Milo each contributed one. Milo paced the Cobras with six digs on the night, while Mullen and Everton recorded four each. Cerick and Carson each posted three digs, while Blume added two and du Bray had one. Blume led the blocking effort with two block assists on the night, while Everton and Fuller each added one. 

The Cobras are back in action tomorrow (Saturday, Oct. 12) when they travel to UVA-Wise for another South Atlantic Conference contest. First serve is slated for 2:00 p.m.