Hartsville, S.C. – The Coker women’s basketball team did not get their 2009-10 season off to the start they had hoped for Sunday afternoon, as the Lady Cobras lost their season opener to UNC-Pembroke 71-44.

Coker (0-1) was never able to get their offense going as they shot just 27 percent from the floor, while the Braves (1-0) shot 48.3 percent and where nearly perfect, 9-for-10, from the charity stripe.

JaToya Kemp (Elizabethtown, N.C.) was a force to be reckoned with for UNC-P as she led all scorers with 21 points, while pulling down six rebounds. Kristen Hobbs (Granite Falls, N.C.) had 16 points and seven rebounds, with 12 of those points coming from beyond the arc.

Coker’s Henna Koponen (Vantaa, Finland) led the Lady Cobras scorers with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Kiesha Bavers (Williamstown, N.J.) had 11 points and five rebounds.

Coker returns to the floor on Tuesday, Nov. 17, when they travel to Rock Hill, S.C. to take on division I Winthrop University at 7:00 p.m.