HARTSVILLE - Newberry College earned a hard fought 14 point win over Conference Carolinas� Coker College 84-70.  The Lady Indians improved to 3-1 while the Cobras are still looking for their first win at 0-5.

Coker came out fighting hard, giving the Lady Indians all they could handle.  With 11 minutes to play in the first half, the Cobras tied the game for the sixth time at 14-14.  The Lady Indians built a six point lead over the next 90 seconds.  However, Coker battled back to get within two points at 22-20 with 5:15 left in the half. 

From that point, Newberry locked down the defense, allowing only five more points in the final five minutes of the half.  The Lady Indians went on a 16-3 run to take a 13 point advantage into the locker room.  Tonique Frasier (Walterboro, S.C.) scored a staggering 18 points in the first half.

Starting the second half, Newberry looked poised to blow out the home team.  The Lady Indians needed only two and a half minutes to open a 19 point lead at 47-28.  However, Coker did not go down easy.  The Cobras went on a 14-0 run to get within five points.  Newberry went four minutes without scoring a basket.

The two teams continued to battle as Coker got within one point twice before they finally tied the game at 53.  With just over seven minutes to play the score was once again tied at 55-55.  Newberry defense stepped the pressure back up forcing four turnovers in the next four minutes to stretch the lead to 69-60.  The Lady Indians took control of the game from there.  Newberry led by as much as 17 points with less than a minute to play.  The Lady Indians ultimately claimed the win by a score of 84-70.

Frasier led all scorers with 26 points.  Laura Marquardt (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) added 12 points and Tacarra Harris (Tupelo, Miss.) had 11 points on the night.  Frasier, Harris and Sade Coates (Meridian, Miss.) each had a game high eight rebounds. 

The Cobras had players in double digits.  Henna Koponen scored 23 points while Temeca Spain added 13 points.  Lotta Aaltonen had 11 points for the home team.

Newberry returns to action this weekend as they open their home schedule by hosting the Newbery Classic.  The Lady Indians will face Morris College at 8 p.m. on Friday.  They will play their second game of the weekend against Flagler College on Saturday.