Box Score by Benny Benton
WILSON, N.C.-Junior middle blocker Melissa Cochran had 11 kills and four blocks to lead the Barton College women's volleyball team past visiting Coker College 3-1 (25-23, 21-25, 25-23,25-15) in a non-conference meeting Wednesday at the Dog House.
Freshman setter Amber Kelly added eight kills, 26 assists, seven digs, three blocks and a pair of service aces to help the Lady Bulldogs (1-4) get into the win column for the first time in 2013. Another Barton freshman, outside hitter Kaitlyn Micol, chipped in seven kills and 11 digs, while libero Corinna Morton contributed a match-high 17 digs, eight assists and three aces in the victory.
"It felt good, obviously, to get the first win," second-year Barton head coach Jeff Lennox said. "It was awesome for us to bounce back, especially in the first set. Coker took a pretty big lead because we were making a lot of unforced errors. We showed some mental toughness to fight back and take the lead in the middle of the set, and to win the set proved that we can play at a high level."
Coker, which evened its season record at 3-3, was paced by senior right side Taylor Willis, who had a match-high 14 kills and five blocks. Freshman Amanda Harris added eight kills, and junior setter Samantha Celek recorded 32 assists.
The Cobras rolled out to an 11-3 lead in set one thanks to a pair of Willis kills and five Barton attack errors. However, the Lady Bulldogs stormed back with a 10-1 run to take the lead at 13-12. Cochran had a pair of kills and two blocks in the spurt, and Kelly added a pair of blocks as well.
A service error gave Coker possession back, and three straight Barton attack errors put the Cobras quickly back in front by three at 16-13. A block by Toni Hammer and Willis gave Coker a 19-15 advantage, but a Micol kill gave Barton possession, and the Lady Bulldogs worked back to a tie at 20-all on a block by Ginny Howard and Jordan Lee. The two teams traded the lead twice, with Coker holding a 23-22 advantage. However, a kill by Howard and consecutive kills by Cochran finished off the set for Barton.
Coker pulled away to a 17-12 lead on a Willis kill midway through the second set, but a series of Cobra miscues let the Lady Bulldogs rally to take the lead at 20-19 on a kill by Lee. Barton still led by a point at 21-20 following a Cochran kill, but the Cobras rolled off the last five points to claim the set, the final tally coming on a block by Hammer and Willis.
The two teams battled through a close beginning to the third set before Barton used three consecutive Coker errors to help build a 13-8 lead. The Cobras then rallied with an 8-1 run that included a pair of Harris kills, putting Coker up 16-14.
Barton tied the match back at 16-all, and the two squads fought through six ties until the score reached 22-all on a Coker block by Celia Duggan and Loren Hill. The Lady Bulldogs used a Kelly kill to go in front, and a Cobras error to push the lead to 24-22. Coker won the next point on a Hill kill, but a Ginny Howard spike sealed the set for the Lady Bulldogs at 25-23.
Barton held a slim 7-6 lead in set four when the wheels came off for Coker. The Cobras made three consecutive errors and a total of 10 in a 12-3 Lady Bulldog surge that put Barton comfortably up by double-digits.
"We need to control the ball and we need to expect more from our offense," Lennox said. "If our pin hitters do a good job, we're going to play a lot better. It was good to get the first win. We still have a lot of things to work on, but it feels good."
The Lady Bulldogs will attempt to make it two victories in a row when they host Francis Marion University on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m.
