Box Score by Kevin Buczek
HARTSVILLE, S.C.-Freshman middle blocker Melissa Cochran (Knightdale, N.C.) ripped a match-high 13 kills and freshman setter Meka Hoover (Seagrove, N.C.) registered a double-double as the Barton College women's volleyball team earned a 3-1 (25-22, 25-22, 19-25, 25-16) Conference Carolinas triumph over host Coker College on Saturday afternoon.
Barton improved to 8-10 overall and 4-6 in the league with its second straight win in as many days. The Cobras fell to 6-12 on the year and below .500 at 4-5 in conference action.
"We feel fortunate to pick up two conference wins on the road," Barton first year head coach Jim Freeman said. "Coker did a good job offensively and they were very tough defensively. They made it difficult for us to put the ball away. We got a lot of touches on our block and Melissa Cochran was very productive for us. I also thought we did a nice job in our serving game."
Cochran crushed the ball at a .414 clip with 13 kills and only one error. The 6-foot-5 Cochran made it hard on the Cobras hitters with thee solo blocks and one block assist.
Barton edged Coker by three points in each of the first two sets. Cochran hammered home the kill to end the first set while a Cobra hitting error closed out the second set.
The visitors maintained a 15-14 lead midway through the third before Coker catapulted ahead with eight consecutive points. The Cobras stayed ahead and won by six to extend the match.
Coker scored the first point of the fourth before Barton netted five straight points to leapfrog ahead for most of the frame. Three service aces by junior Chelsea Fleury (Camden, N.C.) helped the Bulldogs extend out to a commanding 20-8 advantage before coasting to the nine-point win.
Hoover set up the Lady Bulldogs offense with a match-high 27 assists and tied freshman libero Amanda Grandy (Rolesville, N.C.) with team-high 15 dig honors. Junior Kati Wood (Pasadena, Md.) chipped in 10 digs and eight spikes.
The Lady Bulldogs found open spaces for 11 aces including a match-high four aces by freshman Skye Square (Manassas, Va.) and three by Fleury.
Barton continues its five-match road swing at Conference Carolinas foe Limestone College in Gaffney, S.C., on Friday, October 14 at 7 p.m.
