Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan fell to the Coker Cobras in a heart breaker on Saturday in a 13-12 final.
The Warriors totaled 39 hits with 29 being on goal. Aleiza Manns and Ella McCowen led the team with six shots on goal. Rinna Beth Brooker led the team with three goals. Hayley Billings, Aleiza Manns and Ella McCowen each followed with two goals scored in the game. McCowen went on to have two assists to give her four total points.
Southern Wesleyan won 11 draws with Fianna Steves leading the team with six. The Warriors picked up 49 ground balls and caused 21 turnovers. Steves picked up 10 ground balls and caused seven turnovers. Ava Lombardi started the game in goal and accumulated six saves. Caroline Lark played twenty-two minutes in the cage and collected two saves.
Game Vitals
Final: Coker 13, Southern Wesleyan 12
Records: Southern Wesleyan (1-4) Coker (3-2)
How It Happened
The Cobras went on the offensive quickly as Kate Halcro scored off a pass from Mia MacMilan. The Warriors fought back as Rinna Beth Brooker, Ella McCowen and Hayley Billings each attacked the cage. However, Olivia Schmidt saved the attacks from landing. Kaiya Sabur got the ball into the cage to allow Coker to extend their lead to 2-0. The Warriors fought back as Ella McCowen flipped the ball over to Hayley Billings. Billings sent the ball into the back of the cage to put the Warriors within one goal of the Cobras with five minutes left in the quarter. Shortly afterwards, Aleiza Manns wove around the defense and sent the ball into the back of the cage to allow the Warriors to tie the game up.
Southern Wesleyan continued to fight in the second quarter as Aleiza Manns and Mack Moreau each put shots in, but once again Olivia Schmidt and the Coker defense saved the attacks from paying off. Coker cleared the ball down the field and Leah Corley got the ball over to Kaiya Sabur. Sabur put the ball into the cage for her second goal of the afternoon. A goal by Mia MacMillan allowed the Cobras to regain their two goal advantage with just under eight minutes left in the quarter. A foul in the eight meter allowed Rinna Beth Brooker to go to take a free position shot. Brooker sent the ball into the cage to put the Warriors back within one of the Cobras. Seconds later, Fianna Steves collected a rebounded shot and sent it right back into the cage to tie the game right back up. Southern Wesleyan would not relent their attacks as another foul in the eight meter allowed Ella McCowen to become the fifth Warrior of the game to score. Southern Wesleyan continued to attack the cage with more shots by Hayley Billings, but none of her attacks were able to extend on the Warriors lead. Southern Wesleyan led 5-4 at halftime.
The Warriors continued to control the game in the third quarter as Ella McCowen picked up her second goal of the game off a free position shot. Fianna Steves caused the Cobras to turn the ball over and then cleared the ball down the field before passing it over to Aleiza Manns. Manns passed the ball right into the eight meter to Rinna Beth Brooker who sent the ball into the cage to extend the Warriors lead to 7-4. Alezia Manns and Brooker scored back-to-back goals to extend on the Warriors lead. The Cobras fought back as Leah Corley and Amanda Arguello each scored. Sothern Wesleyan took a four goal lead as Abbey Kovalcik sent the ball into the cage.
Coker would not back down as Kate Halcro scored off a pass from Mica MacMillan. Katlyn Mulligan and Kaiya Sabur looked to cut into the Warriors lead more, but Ava Lombardi and the Warriors' defense thwarted each of the attacks from paying off. A foul in the eight meter allowed Hayley Billings to take a free position shot. Billings shot found the back of the cage to extend the Warriors lead to 11-7. The Cobras would not relent as Mia MacMillan and Madeline Fontana scored to put them back within two. Another goal by Kate Halcro allowed the Cobras to tie the game up at eleven goals apiece. The Cobras took the lead on another goal by Halcro. The Warriors challenged with a shot by Mack Moreau, but her shot sailed wide. Ella McCowen flipped the ball over to Alexa Simpson who sent it into the cage to put the Warriors back within one goal of Coker. Southern Wesleyan continued to challenge, but shots by Moreau, Abbey Kovalcik and Alexa Simpson were unable to find the back of the cage. Southern Wesleyan went on to fall to the Cobras in a 13-12 final score.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will remain at home on February 26 as they host the Catawba Indians at 5pm. They will host the Barton Bulldogs on March 1 at noon. The Warriors will host the University of Bridgeport on March 4.
