SALISBURY, N.C. –  The Catawba women's volleyball team picked up a statement victory over South Atlantic Conference opponent Coker on Friday night by sweeping the Cobras 3-0 behind a strong team performance and execution down the stretch.

Freshman middle blocker Maddie Henning rose to the occasion with a career-high seven kills on an efficient .462 hitting percentage, while also delivering two aces, two digs and a block assist.

Maggie Ayers led the blue and white's attack with 11 kills on a .240 percentage while Annica Kagle added seven, hitting .278. Camden Bizot recorded 20 assists, two aces and six digs. Riley Hill notched 13 digs to lead the team.

Catawba (8-2, 4-2 SAC) won the serve/receive battle, tallying six aces while allowing just three. The blue and white also had the superior attack, generating 40 kills on a .150 hitting percentage, holding the Cobras to a .116 percentage and 29 kills. Coker (6-4, 1-3 SAC) had the advantage in blocks, 9-3, while committing 18 errors to Catawba's 23.

After a back-and-forth start to the first set, Coker held a narrow 16-15 lead. Catawba strung together a 6-0 run capped off by a Lillie Kate Rogers kill to pull away. Henning would deliver the final two points as the blue and white closed out the frame 25-19.

The Cobras, looking to even things up, gained a 13-7 advantage in the second. But the resilient Catawba group clawed their way back with another 6-0 run with more kills from Rogers and Henning. The score was deadlocked at 19 apiece before the blue and white executed at a high level once again. Alani Kincaid would check in and score; Kagle added two kills and Henning would slam the door shut one more time, landing the final attack in a 25-22 set-clincher.

Momentum stayed with the Catawba Indians in the third, clinging to an early 7-1 lead after multiple kills from Rebekah Ayers. Coker chipped away and erased the deficit, evening the score at 14. The SAC foes traded points until the Cobras held set point with a 24-23 lead. Maggie Ayers would not accept defeat, delivering the match's final three kills consecutively off assists from Bizot, to give Catawba its eighth win of the season.

The Catawba Indians will be back in action on Saturday, September 18, at 2 p.m. when they host Wingate at Goodman Arena on Family Weekend.

Hear from Head Coach Brenn Ferguson and middle blocker Maddie Henning after the win: