LAKELAND, Fla. - Coming just short of a history win for the program, the College of Coastal Georgia women's basketball team dropped a heartbreaker to the Southeastern Fire by a final of 70-66 in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday night. 

The Mariners (10-7, 3-6 SUN) held an 18 point lead with just 11 minutes left in the game but were unable to hold on to the lead to secure their first win over Southeastern in program history. 

Both sides started out slow offensively, as the Fire (18-4, 8-2 SUN) and the Mariners combined for just three made field goals over the first three minutes of the first quarter as the game remained tied, now at 5-5. Over the next three minutes of game time, Southeastern mounted an 8-2 run to take a five point lead, but the Mariners responded right back with a 5-0 run of their own to get the game back even with 2:30 left in the opening period. For the remainder of the period, both sides traded baskets and it looked like the game was headed to the second period tied at 15 until Victoria McKnight buried a three at the buzzer to give the Fire a three point advantage going into the second. 

The Mariners quickly got the game tied back up again to start the second with layups from Gracie Hearon and Alli Stone, and eventually built their lead out to four thanks to Peyton Shafer and Jasmin Worsley, but the Mariners could not stop the offense of the Fire, as Southeastern used a 7-2 run over three minutes of game time to retake the lead at 28-27 with 3:54 left in the half. Following the Grace Field jumper that gave the Fire the lead, both sides went ice cold as neither side scored a single point for over two minutes of game time until Morgon Webb snapped the cold streak to give the Mariners the lead right back with less than two minutes to play. Webb sparked a great end to the first half for CCGA as they used a 7-2 run to take a 34-30 lead into the locker room. 

Tyler Butler and Worsley both led the way with seven points each while Worsley grabbed six rebounds and dished out three assists in the half. CCGA shot a less than ideal 34 percent from the field and just 18 percent from three, despite taking the lead into the half. 

With the momentum on their side after the break, the Mariners bursted out of the locker room for the third quarter, starting the period on a 19-5 run, getting 12 points from Webb during the stretch to take their largest lead of the game at 18 points, 53-35, with just 3:11 left in the third period. Just as quick as the Mariners ballooned the lead, the Fire wasted no time getting right back into the contest, mounting a 13-3 run to end the quarter as the Mariners clung to an eight point 53-48 lead going into the final period. 

The cold streak continued for the Mariners into the fourth quarter as they did not get their first field goal of the quarter until the 4:32 mark when Alli Stone made a jumper. For the first six minutes, it was all Southeastern as they continued their momentum from the previous period going on a 12-0 run to take a four point lead. Despite the struggles in the second half, the Mariners tied the game with 2:27 left with a layup from Shafer to make the score 62 all, but an 8-4 run to end the game doused any hope of a Mariners win as the Fire held on for the 70-66 victory at home. 

Webb finished as the leading scorer with 16 points on 6-13 shooting and 4-9 shooting from three. Hearon and Worsley both followed with 11, with Worsley finishing with 10 rebounds for her first double double of the season. 

CCGA now moves to 0-20 all time against the Fire. 

CCGA remains on the road this weekend as they travel to Miami Gardens for a battle with the Bobcats of St Thomas. Tip off is set for 2:00 p.m.