Foust, Lions down Coker in SAC thriller

HARTSVILLE, S.C. - The Mars Hill women's lacrosse team (4-6, 1-2 SAC) earned redemption from last season's overtime loss to Coker (3-5, 1-3 SAC), defeating the Cobras by a score of 16-15 Saturday evening.

Trailing 15-13 with 3:33 left in regulation, the Lions scored three unanswered goals in less than a minute to go up 16-15 and pick up their first South Atlantic Conference win of the season.

Kiersten Foust netted her sixth goal of the game to pull the Lions within on and 37 seconds later, Victoria Eckard tied the game at 15.  Foust scored the game-winning goal just nine seconds later to go up 16-15 with 2:47 left in the game.

Coker struck twice in the opening minute of play with goals from Alyssa Baronella-O'Toole and Katie Driskell.  Foust then scored the natural hat-trick for the Lions to go up 3-2 with 7:35 played in the first half.  After trading two goals apiece to remain tied, Coker broke the 4-4 deadlock with 15:30 left in the first with two goals, scored by Hannah Shuren and Meagan Gallagher.

The Lions scored three of the final five goals of the half to tie the game at eight entering the second.  Lions' goals were scored by Rebecca Dallman, Molly Tobias and Foust.

Mars Hill scored the first three goals of the second stanza with two coming from the stick of Tobias, both assisted on by Maria Fabrizio.  Coker responded with a three-goal run of their own to tie the game at 11 with 9:30 played in the half.

Coker's Faith Kent tied the game at 13 with her second goal of the contest on the man-advantage with 10:40 left in the half.  Cobra goals by Reagan Parr and Gallagher--both with the man-advantage--put Coker up 15-13 with just over seven minutes to play.

Bailey O'Brien led the Cobras with five points (2g, 3a) followed by Gallagher's four goals.  Foust led all players with seven points (6g, 1a).  Tobias added five points (4g, 1a) while Fabrizio scored once and assisted on three goals.

Olivia Fladung made 10 saves in the loss while Gini Joy stopped 17 for the win.

The Lions return home on Saturday, March 30th when they host Catawba at the Ammons Family Athletic Center and Meares Stadium.  Action is slated for a 3 p.m. start.