PEMBROKE – Seniors Nicole Mathews and Cecilia Brandon, along with Jada Vernon and Carolina Pridgen, posted double-doubles to help the UNC Pembroke volleyball team stretch its winning streak to two in an attention-grabbing five-set triumph over regional opponent Coker, 3-2, on Tuesday evening on Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court inside the English E. Jones Center.

The victory snapped a four-game home skid for UNCP (7-20), while the setback was the 10-straight loss for Coker (4-20). The Black and Gold now hold a four-game winning streak in the series with the Cobras as well. The set scores were 22-25, 26-24, 22-25, 25-22 and 15-13.

Mathews produced a game-high 18 kills and a team-best 25 digs for her 13th double-double of the season. Also slamming down double-digit kills was Pridgen with 11 who hit .500 and Brandon with 15 kills, while Mckala Bozman, Pridgen and Brandon each logged seven block assists. 

Vernon posted her first double-double of the season with 14 kills and 13 digs, while setters Bailee Jones and Alicia Paeplow notched double-doubles with 32 assists and 12 digs, and 20 assists and 13 digs, respectively. Paeplow had a team-best three service aces, while Mathews and Vernon added two each.

In the opening set, the Braves controlled a 10-4 lead using strong serving and hitting, but the Cobras inched closer to tie the game at 15-15 and held off the Braves to grab the first set despite being out-hit. UNCP, again, took the lead early in the second set, but the Cobras used strong defense at the net to sway the lead back in their favor. The Black and Gold gained momentum and tied the contest up at 23-23 before a pair of kills evened up the match at one set apiece.

Coker's Rachel Waters logged points for the Cobras on seven consecutive serves to take a 15-9 lead in the third set, but UNCP crawled back to tie up the set at 20-20. Eleven errors in the sets plagued the Braves as Coker grabbed the win and the 2-1 advantage in the game. Despite allowing Coker to start the fourth set with five-straight points, the Braves fought back to tie the game at 18-18 and capitalized on nine hitting errors to key the set four victory.

Finally, in the last set, UNCP came out swinging early to hold a 4-0 lead on a pair of kills, a block and service ace, but Coker kept UNCP on its toes by tying up the set 13-13. UNCP seized the next two points on a kill by Mathews and an attack error to claim the 3-2 victory.

Alexis Berles led the Cobras with 14 kills and nine total blocks (six assists), while Christen Bragg, Regan Kennen and Madison Bingle had double-doubles in the contest. Bragg finished the game with 44 assists and 13 digs, while Kennen logged 10 kills and 14 digs and Bingle had 12 kills and 21 digs. Waters controlled a team-best 28 digs, while Kara Overholt contributed 22 digs. The squad finished the contest with 56 kills, 104 digs and 11 team blocks.

The Braves will close out the road portion of their schedule this weekend as the squad travels to Georgia  to take on Peach Belt Conference opponent Augusta (14-13, 5-10 PBC) on Friday and Georgia College (10-14, 4-11) on Saturday.