Cobras Look to Earn Playoff Berth with Win over Railsplitters

HARTSVILLE, S.C.- The Coker College women's lacrosse team will celebrate the Senior Day of Katie Jordan and Haley McCusker in the team's last regular season contest on Saturday, April 21. The Cobras will battle the Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters to clinch a spot in the conference tournament.

Katie Jordan, a junior from Charleston, S.C., has been a Cobra defender for the past three seasons, playing in 35 games, while starting in 30. In her time at Coker, she has collected 13 ground balls, controlled one draw, and caused eight turnovers. The physical education with an emphasis in coaching major is the daughter of Kathy and Timmy Jordan.

Haley McCusker has had a remarkable career in the Navy and Gold uniform. The midfielder has started in all 65 games in which she has played, scoring 209 goals with 29 assists for 238 points. She has scooped up 169 ground balls, controlled 110 draws, and caused 74 turnovers, while having a shot on goal percentage of 76.4. In the Coker records, McCusker has made her mark. She is the all-time goals leader and leads the season goals category, ranking second in career points, ground balls, season points, season points per game, and tied second in single-game goals. McCusker is also tied for third in career assists, and fourth in both caused turnovers and in season ground balls. She is a two-time South Atlantic Conference AstroTurf Offensive Player of the Week, All-SAC Second Team in 2017, and 2015 All-SAC Honorable Mention. At the 2017 FANG awards, McCusker earned the Female Athlete of the Year and was nominated for Female Breakthrough Athlete of the Year. The Warwick, Rhode Island native is the daughter of Lynn and James McCusker and is a communication major.

Faith Kent and McCusker lead the team in scoring with 65 and 61 goals, respectively. Kent also has 31 assists, bringing her point total to 96 on the season. McCusker has scooped up the team-high 52 ground balls, followed by Katie Driskell with 32. Kent (101), McCusker (81), and Sarah Bryson primarily control the draws for the Navy and Gold. Four Cobras have caused double-digit turnovers: McCusker (22), Driskell (19), Kent (15), and Erika Solis (10). The goalkeeper Cassie Williams has save 153 shots in her 13 games played.

As of April 19, Coker ranks 12th nationally in draw controls per game at 16.71. Individually, Williams ranks first in the South Atlantic Conference saves per game category with 11.77, good for eighth nationally. McCusker leads the conference with 9.21 shots per game (fifth nationally) and 7.29 shots on goal per game (second in the country). She also ranks second with 4.36 goals per game (seventh nationally) and 3.71 ground balls per game, while claiming third with 61 goals (13th in the nation). Kent heads up the conference in six categories: 2.21 assists per game, 7.21 draw controls per game (ninth in the nation), 65 goals (fourth nationally), 4.64 goals per game (fourth in the country), 96 points (fourth nationally), 6.86 points per game (third in the nation). She is also second in the SAC with 9.00 shots per game (sixth nationally) and 7.14 shots on goal per game (fourth in the nation).

The Railsplitters (7-7, 2-5) enter the contest after defeating Newberry 15-11 earlier in the week. Lincoln Memorial has scored 175 goals on 60 assists, with 280 ground balls, 283 turnovers, 131 caused turnovers, and 141 saves.

Opening draw against Lincoln Memorial is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Tickets for the game are $5 for adults, $3 for students and free to all Coker faculty, staff and students.