BELMONT, N.C. - The Coker College women's basketball team dropped a matchup with King University on Friday (Nov. 9) 82-67 on day one of the Conference Carolinas/SAC Challenge at Belmont Abbey.
Both teams struggled to find the twine early in the game and Elizabeth Kincaid put the Cobras on the board three minutes in to pull even with the Tornado at two. Following a layup by Saquita Joyner, King would go on an 11-6 run to end the first quarter.
The second quarter would prove to be a battle as each team traded buckets. The Tornado managed to push their lead to as much as 14 points with only three minutes before the end of the half but the Cobras fought back to cut the deficit. Ashauntee Nelson and Shay Jackson both made baskets to trim the deficit to 10 before a made free throw from both Jackson and Kincaid. Jackson would find the scoreboard once again at the buzzer to send the Navy and Gold into the half only down by six.
Jackson came out of the half on a run, scoring the first seven points for the Cobras to start the third quarter. A Haliyah Sumter three-ball and a made free throw by Jackson cut the deficit to just two with four minutes to go in the quarter. Kincaid cut the Tornado lead to one moments later before both teams traded three-pointers. Both Nelson and Sumter hit a free throw in the closing minutes of the quarter to send the Cobras into the final period down by four.
Jackson once again carried the offensive load to begin the fourth quarter, scoring the team's first six points before another three from Sumter. King made a run to close out the game, outscoring the Cobras by 11 in the final quarter to seal the victory.
Jackson led the Navy and Gold with a game-high 26 points, while also pulling down seven rebounds. Jackson was joined in double-figures by Sumter, who tallied 10 points on the night. Nelson recorded seven points, while Hannah Stull notched six points and five boards. Kincaid ended with five points, Hope Richardson and Taiylar DeMoss each had four, Aloni McFarland had three, and Joyner finished with a pair of points.
The Cobras will be back in action Saturday (Nov. 10), when they take on Belmont Abbey in the final day of the Conference Carolinas/SAC Challenge at 7:30 PM.