Lions fall in overtime against Cobras
The Mars Hill (2-11, 0-7 SAC) women's lacrosse team fell to Coker (4-9, 2-4 SAC), 23-22, in the first overtime game in program history on Saturday evening at the Ammons Family Athletic Center and Meares Stadium.
MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill (2-11, 0-7 SAC) women's lacrosse team fell to Coker (4-9, 2-4 SAC), 23-22, in the first overtime game in program history on Saturday evening at the Ammons Family Athletic Center and Meares Stadium.
With 43 seconds remaining in the first overtime frame, the Cobras' Haley McCusker scored her sixth goal of the game, proving to be the game-winner.
The first half saw Coker jump out to an early 5-0 lead with McCusker and Faith Kent scoring two goals apiece. Bri Nelly scored the fifth goal at the 6:18 mark. Rebecca Dallman put the Lions on the board just over a minute later for her seventh of the season. Coker's Katie Driskell put the Cobras back up by five, but with 19:39 left in the half, Gabby Gianikos began a four-goal streak for Mars Hill over the next 3:25 seconds. Molly Tobias, Kiersten Foust and Dallman, with her second on the day, pulled Mars Hill within one with just over 16 minutes left in the opening stanza.
Kent responded with under 15 minutes to play for her 58th goal of the year. Olivia Hokanson scored the next two goals to tie the game at seven with under nine minutes to play. Coker would outscore Mars Hill 3-1 in the final 7:33 with two goals coming from Kent and one from McCusker. With 2:37 remaining in the opening half, Gianikos netted her second of the game.
In a high scoring second half, the Lions outscored Coker 14-12 to end the game tied at 22 apiece.
Scout Black opened the scoring 58 seconds into the second half, potting her 11th goal of the season. Driskell and Kent answered back with two goals in the next minute and a half. Ten seconds after Kent's fifth goal of the game, Olivia Hokanson won the draw control, streaked down the field and beat Cassie Williams for her third goal of the game and 50th of the season. At the 7:01 mark of the half, Gianikos scored her hat-trick goal to pull the Lions within one. Kent struck again to give the Cobras a 13-11 lead with 20:09 remaining in regulation.
Dallman's hat-trick goal was answered by three straight Coker goals, two from Driskell and one from McCusker. The teams traded three goals apiece in a 4:44 span, seeing Coker hold a 19-15 lead with 12:07 left in the half.
Mars Hill scored four straight goals to tie the game with under ten minutes remaining. Tobias and Hokanson scored two each. Mars Hill would go on to score three of the next five goals to hold a 22-21 lead with under four minutes left in regulation. Coker would tie the game at 22 with 1:20 left on the clock with a goal from Sarah Bryson.
Kent (9g, 5a) led all players with 14 points. McCusker (6g) and Driskell (5g, 1a) each had six points. Tobias (3g, 6a) led the Lions with nine points. Hokanson, who was honored prior to the game for Senior Day, had eight goals; her second highest total of the season (9 goals vs. Montevallo, March 11th).
Williams made 15 saves for the win while Alexandria Holleran stopped nine in the losing effort.
The Lions return to action on Tuesday, April 17 when they travel to UVa-Wise for a non-conference contest. Play is set for a 4 p.m. start.
