Mars Hill sweeps Coker at home

MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill volleyball team (14-5, 8-3 SAC) swept Coker (10-10, 2-9 SAC) inside Stanford Arena on Friday evening to pick up their 14th win of the season.

The teams were evenly matched throughout the first several points of the first set with neither team establishing a sizable lead.  The Lions, leading 11-10, were able to win eight of the next nine points to distance themselves from the Cobras and provide a large enough lead that would hold true throughout the remainder of the set.  Taylor du Bray and Olivia Veith each had three kills for the Cobras in the opening stanza.  Sally Anne Johnson had five kills and two blocks.

Mars Hill never trailed in the second set and won the frame by a score of 25-18.  With Coker looking to tie the game at 16-all in the frame, the Lions took seven of the next eight points, including a run of four straight, to go up 23-16 late.  The teams then the final four points of the set, giving Mars Hill the 2-0 edge heading into the third.  du Bray and Strejcek led the Cobras' offense with three kills in the set, while the duo of Maddie Spurgeon and Dayanna Barbosa had four apiece for the Lions.

The third set saw Coker lead for a majority of the frame, including late when the Cobras were up by a score of 20-17.  The Lions roared back into the contest and would win eight of the final nine points to secure the three-set sweep.  Strejcek knocked down six kills on seven attempts in the frame for the Cobras, while Barbosa had another three kills for the Lions.  Johnson had a game-high three blocks in the set.

Strejcek led all players with 11 kills and Rami Mullen also led all players with 29 assists.  Johnson and Barbosa each had nine kills to lead Mars Hill.  Johnson added six blocks on the night.  Ully Martins led all players with 22 digs.

The Lions return to Stanford Arena on Saturday, October 13th with a 2 p.m. contest against the South Atlantic Conference leading Wingate Bulldogs.