GAFFNEY, S.C. - The Coker College field hockey team (6-5, 5-4 SACC) knocked off the No. 10 Limestone College Saints 1-0 Wednesday (Nov. 7) night in South Atlantic Conference Carolinas action. Kelly Mason's goal in the 27th minute was enough to propel the Cobras past the Saints and hand Limestone their first conference loss of the season.
"The girls gave every ounce they had on that field to win this game," said Coker Head Field Hockey Coach, Kat Heterbring. "They [Limestone] had 17 corners in the game and our defense shut them down. We also only had a few chances on the offensive end, but took advantage of our opportunities."
Coker only had two shots during the first half of play, however, as coach Heterbring mentioned, the Cobas took advantage of their two shots. Mason wound up finding the back of the cage in the 27th minute in a scramble in front of the goal to give Coker the 1-0 advantage.
Approximately eight minutes into the second half, it seemed the Cobras had their second score and a 2-0 lead. Unfortunately for the Navy and Gold, the goal was waived off due to a foot violation. The Cobras continued to compete for every possession and played tough defensively. Goalkeeper Kelsey Gibbons collected five saves in the shutout effort and gathered a couple of clutch saves as time dwindled down in regulation.
As mentioned, Mason recorded Coker's lone goal and led the team in shots, tallying five. Alyssa Baronella-O'Toole, Kaleigh Cordrey, and Amelia Gajewski all recorded one shot each.
"I'm beyond proud of this team for what they have already accomplished this season," stated Heterbring. "I don't think anyone thought a first-year program could get a win like this and have the type of season we are having. With that being said, we still have lots of work to do to accomplish our goals this season."
The Navy and Gold will wrap up regular season play on Saturday (Nov. 10) when they travel to Belmont Abbey for a South Atlantic Conference Carolinas showdown. Match time is set for 1 PM. As of today, the Cobras currently sit at third in the conference, with the potential to move up to the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament with a victory over Belmont Abbey on Saturday.