Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 POPLARVILLE, Miss. - Coastal Alabama - North Women's Volleyball, led by head coach Steven Dickey, opened the 2026 season with a split on Saturday, Aug. 22, earning a five-set victory over Southwest Mississippi Community College after falling to host-school Pearl River Community College (Miss.) in a five-set battle earlier in the day.
After a 21-11 campaign in 2025 and a berth to the ACCC Volleyball Championship Tournament, the Coyotes will look to carry momentum into 2026.
Pearl River 3, Coastal Alabama - North 2
The Coyotes opened the day and the 2026 season with a hard-fought five-set loss to Pearl River after the Wildcats managed to come back across the final three sets.
Coastal - North jumped out to a strong start, taking the opening set 26-24 before claiming the second set, 25-18. However, Pearl River rallied in front of its home crowd and scored a 25-23 victory in the third set, later forcing a deciding fifth set by taking the fourth, 25-17. Pearl River then closed out the match with a 15-10 victory in the fifth set.
Newcomer Avrie Hines led the Coyotes offensively with 12 kills and added two service aces and eight digs. Sophomore Faith Reid also recorded 12 kills, while fellow sophomore Ali Simon finished with 10 kills and four block assists. Meanwhile, sophomore transfer Libby Williams directed the Coyotes' attack with 35 assists while adding two kills and two service aces. Alana Jones posted 13 digs, while libero Shaylee Frederick finished with 11 digs.
Coastal Alabama - North 3, Southwest Mississippi 2
The Coyotes bounced back in the second match of the day just an hour later, overcoming Southwest Mississippi for a 17-25, 25-14, 21-25, 27-25, 15-13 victory.
Southwest Mississippi claimed the opening set, but Coastal - North responded emphatically with a 25-14 win in the second. The Lady Bears regained the lead with a 25-21 third-set victory before the Coyotes battled through a 27-25 fourth-set win to force a deciding fifth set.
In the fifth, the 'Yotes edged Southwest Mississippi 15-13 to secure its first victory of the 2026 campaign.
The Coyotes put together a strong offensive attack, led by Arianna Wright and Daelyn Bozeman with 15 kills apiece. Wright hit .444 for the match and added one solo block and two block assists. For Bozeman, the second-year Coyote hit .314 with 15 kills, four digs and three blocks, including one solo block and two block assists.
Avrie Hines followed by adding 13 kills, while Faith Reid finished with 11. Libby Williams set the offense with 50 assists and added 13 digs.
On the back row, Alana Jones was a defensive force throughout the five-set battle, recording 15 digs and six service aces. Transfer McKenna Dunlavy added 16 digs, while Shaylee Frederick also recorded 15 digs.
As a team, the 'Yotes posted 63 kills, 56 assists, and 84 defensive digs.
First Home Match Next
With two matches already completed in 2026, the Coyotes are set for the first home match of the season next on the schedule. Coastal - North will host ACCC rival Lurleen B. Wallace (Ala.) on Thursday, Aug. 27 to begin the home portion of the campaign, with first serve coming at 5:00 p.m. CT.
Thursday's match will be broadcasted live on JockJive.com.
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