Second Half Pioneer Surge Bounces Cobras in SAC Quarterfinals

HARTSVILLE, S.C. – The Coker College men's lacrosse team fell to the visiting Tusculum College Pioneers 12-9 on Tuesday afternoon (Apr. 26) in the South Atlantic Conference Men's Lacrosse Championship Quarterfinals. 

The Pioneers opened up the contest with back-to-back goals to take a 2-0 lead with four minutes left in the first. Shane Wilson got the Cobras on the board with 2:24 left in the first, finding the back of the net, with Josh Smith dishing out the assist.

Rylee Marsh tied the game at 2-2 at the 11:26 mark in the second quarter, thanks to another assist by Smith. The Cobras continued the run, this time it was Smith finding the back of the net at the 9:34 mark, putting Coker ahead 3-2. Brooks Long capped off a 3-0 Coker run, taking advantage of a man-up opportunity and putting the Cobras ahead 4-2. The two teams traded goals to close out the half, with Marsh netting the goal for the Navy and Gold, leaving the score 5-3 as the teams departed to the locker rooms for half.

Coker opened the third quarter on another 3-0 run thanks to goals by Adam Zinsmeister, Wilson and Brooks Long, giving the Cobras a commanding 8-3 lead. However, the Pioneers came roaring back, closing the game on a 9-1 run and clinching the 12-9 comeback victory.

Wilson led the way with three goals and one assist. Smith had one goal and two assists, while Long and Marsh had two goals apiece. Mike Martiello finished with two assists and Zinsmeister found the back of the net once.

This concludes the Coker men's lacrosse 2015-16 season.

McDonald's Player of the Game – Shane Wilson