Hickory, N.C. – The Coker Volleyball Team (14-16, 7-13) earned a berth to the South Atlantic Conference Championship with a 3-1 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne (10-16, 6-14) Saturday afternoon in the league and regular season finale at Shuford Memorial Gymnasium.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Coker 3, Lenoir-Rhyne 1 (28-26, 20-25, 25-21, 25-10)
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (10-16, 6-14 SAC), Coker (14-16, 7-13 SAC)
Location: Shuford Memorial Gymnasium | Hickory, N.C.
Get Social: Twitter - @BearsSports | Instagram - @BearsSports | Facebook - /LRbears
STATS OF THE MATCH:
• The Cobras' Taylor du Bray (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) finished with 15 kills and 14 digs while Christen Bragg (Rock Hill, S.C.) added 49 assists and 14 digs in the victory.
• Lenoir-Rhyne freshman outside hitter Taylor Prall (Tipp City, Ohio) also totaled 15 kills and senior outside hitter
Brooke Redmond (Statesville, N.C.) added 13 kills and 14 digs but the Bears hit just .142 for the contest.
• Junior setter
Bailey Cloninger (Hickory, N.C.) came back in a big way for the Bears from injury – totaling 23 assists and 10 digs – despite the loss.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
• Coker swept the season series from Lenoir-Rhyne and handed the Bears their sixth consecutive setback.
• Lenoir-Rhyne failed to advance to the conference tournament for the first time since the 2010 campaign.
• LR recognized its five seniors prior to the contest: Redmond, senior middle blocker
Emily Steele (Greenville, N.C.), senior defensive specialist
Ashley Markland (Conover, N.C.), senior setter
Kathryn Sizemore (Arden, N.C.) and senior middle blocker
Samantha Bishop (Spring Hill, Fla.).
UP NEXT:
Coker will next compete in the 2017 South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Championship beginning with a quarterfinal match on Tuesday at a higher seed. The semifinals and finals will take place on Friday, November 17, and Saturday, November 18, on the campus of Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City, Tenn.
