HARTSVILLE, S.C. – The Coker College men's lacrosse team picked up a 13-11 non-conference win on Saturday evening (Mar. 19) over the visiting Shorter University Hawks.
It was Coker striking first, when Shane Wilson found the back of the net just three and a half minutes into the matchup to give Coker the 1-0 lead. After a response goal by Shorter, the Cobras went on a 3-0 run in a two-minute span to take a 4-1 lead, with two of the goals coming in a man-up opportunity. The Hawks notched back-to-back goals to cut the Coker lead to one. Mike Martiello scored his second goal of the contest with just nine seconds left in the opening quarter, giving Coker the 5-3 lead. Shorter won a faceoff and found the back of the net just before the horn blew at the end of the first quarter, cutting the Cobras lead to one (5-4).
The Navy and Gold came out of the gates on fire in the second quarter, going on a 4-0 run in the opening six minutes. Martiello netted the first goal of the run just 56 seconds in, with Brooks Long picking up the assist. Josh Smith scored the next two, with Martiello capping off the run with a goal at the nine-minute mark, stretching the Coker lead to five (9-4). The Hawks would not go down quietly, scoring three straight to close out the half, making the score 9-7 in favor of the Cobras as the teams dispersed for halftime.
After Shorter scored a goal to open the third quarter, the Cobras went on another offensive tear, this one a 3-0 run in the final five minutes of the quarter. Wilson netted his third goal of the evening, with Martiello picking up the assist. Adam Zinsmeister notched his first goal of the night at the 3:11 mark, with Long dishing out another assist. Martiello capped of the 3-0 run just a minute later depositing a pass from Zinsmeister in the back of the net to give Coker a 12-8 lead going into the final 15 minutes.
Back-to-back goals by Shorter to opening the fourth, cut the Coker lead to just two (12-10) with six minutes left. It was Long that scored a crucial insurance goal for the Cobras with 3:25 left, giving them a 13-10 lead. Shorter would net one more goal, but it was not enough as the Navy and Gold protected home field, winning 13-11.
Martiello led the way with five goals and one assist. Wilson finished with three goals, while Long and Smith recorded two goals and two assists apiece. Zinsmeister registered one goal and one assist and Rylee Marsh dished out two assists.
Between the pipes, Adam Messel recorded six saves to pick up the win.
The Cobras will be back in action on Saturday (Mar. 26) when they host the visiting Wingate University Bulldogs in a South Atlantic Conference showdown. Opening faceoff set for 7 p.m.
McDonald's Player of the Game – Mike Martiello