HARTSVILLE – The Newberry Wolves women’s basketball team made it three straight wins in three tries at the DeLoach Center, this time knocking off the Coker Cobras in the South Atlantic Conference opener, 67-58.

The Wolves (3-0, 1-0) were led by redshirt junior guard Samantha Creed (Montmorency, Vic, Australia) who put up a season-high 29 points to pace Newberry. The Wolves put two other players in double figures as freshman Nicola Handreck (Heywood, Vic, Australia) tied her career-high of 15 points to go along with four rebounds and two assists. Senior forward Haylee Lepaio (Bathurst, NSW, Australia) had 11 points and a team-high nine rebounds.

After starting off the last two games on 7-0 and 9-0 runs, respectively, the Wolves and Cobras (0-3, 0-1) tangled in the first part of the game as Coker was eager for their first win of the young season. Newberry trailed for the first time this year as they were down 5-4 and then 7-6 in the first four minutes.

The lead would change hands 10 times until, tied at 24, Newberry had an 11-2 run that was sparked by a Jaya Schultz (Santa Clarita, Calif.) jumper. Schultz hit consecutive jumpers and Handreck drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key to help the Wolves push their lead to 35-26 going into halftime.

The Cobras would not go quietly into the night as they came out firing on all cylinders after the break using a 12-4 run to pull themselves back within two points at 39-37 with 12:45 remaining in the contest. Although never trailing again, Newberry had another close scare just a few minutes later as Kim Manning knocked down a 3-pointer from the left wing to tie it at 46-46 with 7:15 left.

Creed checked back into the game with 6:56 left and then proceeded to take it over. The junior went on a personal 10-2 run covering three minutes to put the Wolves back in control of the game the rest of the way.

Coker only got within eight points as the game wound down and Newberry put it on ice at the free throw line. The Wolves shot 42.4 percent for the game after shooting 50 percent from the field in their first two contests. Newberry cut down majorly on turnovers only committing eight on the night after averaging an error prone 20 to start the season.

The Wolves will head back to Eleazer Arena for their home opener as they take on SAC opponent Brevard at 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.