Lions Outlast Coker in SAC Opener
Mars Hill defeated Coker 3-2 in the first SAC match of the 2015 season
HARTSVILLE, S.C.- The Mars Hill volleyball team won the opening match of the 2015 South Atlantic Conference season on Friday night, outlasting Coker 3-2 at the DeLoach Center. Mars Hill won by scores of 25-12, 27-25, 30-32, 21-25 and 15-9. The Lions improve to 3-2 and 1-0 while Coker drops to 2-1 and 0-1.
Elizabeth Kaeser led the Lions with 17 kills. Lauren Hochstetler posted a double-double with 15 kills and 17 digs. Maddie Spurgeon added 10 kills. Rebecca Butler led Mars Hill with 21 digs.
For Coker, Christen Bragg and Megan Hardy each had 13 kills. Rachel Waters posted a match-high 35 digs.
Mars Hill hit .409 in the opening set as the Lions led from start to finish in a 25-12 victory. The Lions held a 19-13 lead in the second set before the Cobras tied the set at 21. Coker held a 24-23 lead but Mars Hill fought back for a 27-25 win.
After a marathon third set resulted in a 32-30 win for Coker, the Cobras pulled ahead to a 6-1 lead in the fourth set. A Hochstetler kill brought the Lions to within three, 17-14, but Mars Hill would get no closer the rest of the way as Coker tied the match with a 25-21 win.
The Lions took control of the deciding fifth set as they raced out to a 9-3 lead. Coker would get no closer than four points as Mars Hill claimed the match thanks to a 15-9 fifth set victory.
Mars Hill travels to No. 23 Wingate on Saturday for a 1 p.m. match.
