HARTSVILLE, S.C. – Behind sophomore Regan Duty's 13 kills and freshman Liliana Kinder's 12 kills, the Anderson University volleyball team got back in the win column by topping South Atlantic Conference-foe Coker, 3-1 (25-23, 25-18, 15-25, 25-21) Saturday afternoon at the DeLoach Center.
Anderson improved to 17-2 overall and 8-1 in the SAC, while Coker fell to 8-7 and 0-6.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Duty posted the team-high 13 kills, while Kinder equaled her career high with the dozen kills on the strength of a career-high .321 hitting percentage. Redshirt sophomore Hailee Wilhelm notched nine kills and a pair of block assists, while redshirt freshman Hannah Worsham posted seven kills with just one error in 19 attempts and added seven block assists. Junior Emily Conlin recorded her fourth straight double-double and ninth of the season with 45 assists and 16 digs. Senior outside hitter Jayln Knight and freshman Meghan DeVaux each posted 13 digs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
The opening set featured 14 ties and neither team was able to build more than a three-point lead throughout the frame.
With Conlin serving, the Trojans scored the first two points, but the lead gradually disappeared, as Coker snapped an 8-8 deadlock and surged out to a 12-9 advantage.
Later, with the score knotted at 18 apiece, the Cobras score two straight points to edge out to a 20-18 lead before Worsham knocked down a kill and AU capitalized on a Cobra attack error to even the score yet again. Following a kill from the Cobras' Arianne Jewell, Duty answered with her second kill of the set and sophomore Christina Stacy laced a service ace to give the Black and Gold a 22-21 lead.
But Coker countered with two quick points to regain the lead, before Knight and Duty answered with back-to-back kills and AU claimed the set on a miscue by the Cobras.
Second Set
Kinder posted four kills and a block assist to fuel an early outburst, with the Trojans taking a 10-2 lead. After AU built the early cushion, the Cobras chipped away and pulled within 16-13 but Conlin and Wilhelm combined on a block to slow Coker and the Trojans built a double-digit, 24-14, advantage down the stretch before taking the seven-point win.
Third Set
The Cobras posted a .321 hitting percentage and overcame an early 6-4 Trojan advantage by going on a 13-3 scoring run.
AU trimmed the deficit to six on a kill by freshman outside hitter Maya Learmonth, but was unable to get any closer than 18-13, as Coker responded by scoring three unanswered points and took the double-digit victory.
Fourth Set
The Trojans countered by building an 11-2 lead out of the gate, as Duty knocked down three kills during the resurgence.
AU quickly constructed a double-digit 16-6 advantage, but the Cobras chipped away and climbed with just three (23-20) before Worsham sandwiched kills around an attack error to push the Trojans to the win.
ANDERSON STAT OF THE DAY
The Trojans' 18 block assists marked their second-highest tally of the season.
NOTABLES
• AU improved to 6-1 in true road matches and 12-2 in contests away from home.
• The Trojans improved to 6-1 in four-set matches.
• Kinder has reached double-figure kills in three straight matches.
• The Trojans improved to 32-7 versus the Cobras over the past 20 seasons.
UP NEXT
The Trojans open a four-match South Atlantic Conference homestand when they play host to Lenoir-Rhyne, Tuesday night at the Abney Athletic Center. First-serve is set for 7 p.m.