Box Score
by Kevin Buczek
WILSON, N.C.-Sophomore hitter Zach McCalla was one dig shy of a double-double for host Barton College in a 3-2 (25-19, 25-23, 20-25, 20-25, 15-8) Conference Carolinas men's volleyball loss to Coker College on Wednesday night in Wilson Gymnasium.
Freshmen Jared Geizer and Luke Hansen shared game-high honors with 16 kills apiece in leading the Cobras to a fourth consecutive win. Coker departed with records of 5-8 overall and 3-6 in the league after winning for the fifth time in its last six tries.
Barton (1-15 Overall, 1-9 Conf.) slipped to 0-3 in decisive fifth sets on the season.
Freshman outside hitter Cameron Hudson had nine spikes for the hosts; sophomore middle Ladislav Lelkes registered eight block assists; senior libero Chris Prevatte lifted up 13 digs; and sophomore setter Jordan Robison compiled 31 assists.
Coker took a commanding 2-0 lead after the first two sets only to see the Bulldogs race back with the next two frames. The Cobras then bit back with a match-ending 10-3 run in the fifth to survive.
Junior Ricardo Ferrer – who ranks second nationally in service aces and 27th nationally in assists – had match-highs of 44 assists and five service aces. Ferrer also added seven kills and seven combined blocks. Freshman libero Cooper Lyon made a match-best 14 digs.
Coker never trailed in the first set and the Cobras hit at .227 to complete the six-point win. The second set remained close throughout but with the score knotted for an 11th time at 23-23, Ferrer was able to serve up two straight aces to put away the set.
The visitors were closing in on the sweep leading as late as 19-18 in the third set before the Bulldogs barked back with a 7-1 rally to extend the match. Barton had four of its 13 team blocks in the surge including a block by Robison and Lelkes on set point.
The Royal Blue and White had its best hitting set of the match in the fourth firing at a .273 rate. Trailing 4-2 early, the Bulldogs rushed ahead with an 8-2 run to take a 10-6 lead. Barton maintained momentum as its cushion grew to as many as seven at 18-11. A solo block by McCalla sent the two teams into the shortened 15-point fifth set.
The final frame saw four ties early including a 5-5 deadlock on a McCalla kill before Coker kept Barton winless at home with its key 10-3 run. The Cobras ripped eight kills on just 12 swings in the fifth set with no errors for a staggering .667 hitting percentage including a match-ending spike by Hansen.
Coker had a slightly higher hitting percentage than Barton on the match at .188 compared to .152. The Cobras had twice as many aces, 8-4, and won the back line battle with a 44-36 dig edge.
The Bulldogs have more blocks, 13-10, with Lelkes eight block assists and both Hudson and Robison tallying four block assists.
Barton will next visit league foe Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, N.C., on Friday at 7 p.m.
