BELMONT, N.C. – The  Belmont Abbey women’s basketball team used a second half rally to come from behind to defeat the Coker Cobras 66-56 in Conference Carolinas women’s basketball action Saturday night.

The Abbey banished a seven point deficit in the final 2:44 to pick up the victory.

The Crusaders never led after the 12:26 mark of the first half and trailed Coker until there was 2:44 left in the contest. The Coker lead never rose above seven points, which came at 47-40 with 9:25 left. A 9-2 Abbey run deadlocked the contest at 49 with 6:09 to play, but the Cobras scored five of the next six points to stretch the lead back to four.

From there, the Abbey took over the game, as the Crusaders knotted the game for the fourth time, this one coming at 54 with 3:39 left.

Coker missed a layup on its next trip down the floor, and Melisa Foures put the Abbey ahead to stay with a three-pointer at the 2:44 mark.

Shayla Jackson and Kelsey Long led all scorers with 17 points. Candace Fox added 12 points, five assists and four steals. The Abbey shot 45.3 percent (24-53) from the floor and forced 27 Coker turnovers.

Coker was led by Jasmine Alston's (Sumter, S.C.) 11 points, the only Cobra to reach double figures. Shanice Cooper (Sumter, S.C), Cassie Kirby (Charlottesville, Va) and Lucy Fish (Nottingham, England) each had nine points. Coker shot 46.8 percent (22-47) from the floor.

The Cobras return to the floor on Monday when they travel to Gaffney, S.C. to take on Limestone College. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.