The Coastal Georgia Mariners held off a late rally to defeat Warner 72-67 on Saturday afternoon in Lake Wales, Florida, as Hadiya Kennerly's 23-point performance powered the visitors to victory.
The game was tied 21-21 after the first quarter before Coastal Georgia took control in the second and third periods. The Mariners built their largest lead of 13 points in the third quarter at 54-41, but Warner fought back in the fourth quarter to make it interesting down the stretch. A Niya Moon three-pointer with 1:09 remaining extended the lead to 72-67 and effectively sealed the win.
Hadiya Kennerly led all scorers with 23 points on 10-of-18 shooting, including 3-of-6 from three-point range. Kennerly was consistent throughout the game, scoring in all four quarters while adding six rebounds and two steals in 33 minutes of action. Her ability to score from multiple levels kept the Mariners in control for most of the contest.
Alli Stone provided a crucial spark off the bench with 14 points on efficient 6-of-12 shooting. Stone also converted 1-of-2 free throws and grabbed four rebounds while dishing out two assists in 25 minutes. Her scoring was especially important in the first and second quarters, where she scored 11 of her 14 points and helped the Mariners establish their lead.
Niya Moon added 12 points despite struggling with her shot, finishing 4-of-17 from the field and 4-of-16 from three-point range. Despite the shooting woes, Moon came through with big baskets in the second and fourth quarters, including the dagger three-pointer late. Taylor Blackshear contributed seven points off the bench on 2-of-5 shooting while leading the team with seven rebounds and five assists in 17 minutes.
Amanda Roach added six points on 3-of-5 shooting, while Abby Shepard finished with five points, hitting a crucial third-quarter three-pointer. Iesha Rhodin contributed three points on 3-of-4 free-throw shooting but picked up a technical foul in the third quarter. Maylei Noreika grabbed eight rebounds despite scoring just two points.
The Mariners struggled from three-point range, converting just 9-of-39 attempts (23.1 percent) for the game. The fourth quarter was particularly rough, as Coastal Georgia made only 2-of-8 three-point attempts while shooting 31.3 percent overall from the field. The team's 60.0 percent free-throw shooting (9-of-15) left points on the table but ultimately didn't cost them.
Warner was led by Cameron Tripp's 21 points on 7-of-16 shooting, including 2-of-3 from three-point range. Tripp played all 40 minutes and kept the Royals competitive throughout, particularly in the fourth quarter when she scored four points during the comeback attempt. Bethany Howard added 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, while Chanelle Harrison pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds to go with eight points.
Aleyna Sherman contributed nine points and seven assists, while Julia Gilbert added eight points. The Royals dominated at the free-throw line, converting an impressive 23-of-32 attempts (71.9 percent) compared to the Mariners' struggles from the charity stripe. Warner's ability to get to the line kept them in the game, particularly in the fourth quarter when they made 9-of-12 free throws.
Warner held a rebounding edge at 37-32 and scored 30 points in the paint compared to Coastal Georgia's 32. The Royals converted the Mariners' 13 turnovers into 10 points while committing 16 turnovers themselves that led to 12 Coastal Georgia points. The game featured four ties and four lead changes, all in the first half, before the Mariners took control.
The win improves Coastal Georgia's record to 16-6 overall and 6-4 in conference play as they continue their push for a strong conference finish. The Mariners will need to improve their three-point shooting consistency, but the balanced scoring attack and ability to close out tight games are positive signs moving forward.
