HICKORY, NC - The Lenoir-Rhyne Volleyball team returned home to Shuford Arena for the first time in the 2024 season on Tuesday night. Taking on Coker in both teams' SAC opener, the Bears pulled away in the final two sets to take the match 3-1. Kayli Cleaver had a career high 20 kills in the match, while Averie Dale added six blocks for the second straight game. Lenoir-Rhyne has opened the season 5-0 for the first time since the 2019 team started their season with five straight wins. 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Lenoir-Rhyne 3, Coker 1
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (5-0, 1-0 SAC), Coker (1-4, 0-1 SAC)
Location: Shuford Arena, Hickory, NC

STATS OF THE MATCH:

• The Bears started fast, jumping out to a 8-2 lead in the first set. LR used four aces in the set, including back-to-back by Rachel Wildermuth, to take the set by a final score of 25-16. 
• Each team hit the best on in the second set, with LR hitting it at a .282 clip and Coker hitting .333. Errors were the difference of the set, as Coker only had one error to LR's six. The Cobras would take advantage of the Bear miscues to take the set 25-19.
• The Bears defense held the Cobras into negative hitting percentage the last two sets. 
• In set three, the Bears had a 17-15 lead when they went on a 7-0 run, capped off with a pair of kills from Kathy Peter. That run was enought to win the set 25-17 and take a 2-1 lead.
• Taylor Osborne had all three of her kills in the fourth set as LR cruised to a 25-13 set victory, earning them their first conference and home victory of the season. 
• Lenoir-Rhyne finished the night with a .179 hitting percentage, while Coker hit just .043.
• Coker had a 11-10 advantage on blocks, but the Bears had the 7-5 advantage in aces, including them four in the first set. 
• After Kayli Cleaver's 20 kills, Kathy Peter had nine kills, Averie Dale eight, and Jenna Vogen seven. Vogen added 17 digs as well. 
• Sydney Karjala had 33 assists and had 18 digs on the night. 

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• Dale was named SAC Defensive player of the week on Monday.
• With six more blocks tonight, Dale is leading the SAC with 1.28 blocks per set.
• Cleaver has 59 kills in five games this season, including 36 in the last two. 
• The win against Coker tonight was their 12th straight win against the Cobras. 

UP NEXT: LR will head to Mount Olive on Friday for the Mount Olive Invitational. The Bears will play four games in just over 24 hours, starting with a matchup against Concord on Friday at 2:00 PM.