MONROEVILLE, Ala. - Coastal Alabama - South Women's Basketball, led by fourth-year head coach Cedric Yelding, opened the 2025-26 season in impressive fashion over the weekend, taking down Coastal Alabama - North 83-66 to begin the year 1-0. The Coyotes led wire-to-wire, using early defensive pressure to set the tone of the game. Coastal Alabama - North begins the season ranked No. 22 in the NJCAA D-II Women's Basketball Top 25, while Coastal - South currently sits unranked in the NJCAA D-I Women's Basketball Top 25.
Season Opening Win
Coastal - South jumped ahead 17-10 after the first quarter and carried a strong 38-24 lead into halftime before holding off a third-quarter push from the Coyotes from Monroeville. However, a 29-point explosion in the final period eventually sealed the win for the visiting Coyotes.
Kennedy Gill came off the bench to lead Coastal - South with 16 points on an efficient 7-for-11 shooting performance, including two made threes. Cniya Mullen added 12 points, going a perfect 2-for-2 from beyond the arc, while Tyra Caves and Shakira Williams each chipped in 11 points. Kalaysia Robinson was a force in the paint and on the boards, finishing with eight points, nine rebounds, and a game-high 10 assists, ending her first game with a double-double. As a team, Coastal - South shot 46.9% from the field and a blistering 56.3% from three-point range, while also dishing out 20 assists and forcing 17 steals.
For Coastal Alabama – North, Saije Taylor led all scorers with 16 points and seven rebounds, while Ariel Gilchrist turned in an all-around effort with 11 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Lailah Hill added eight points and four rebounds off the bench. Despite out-rebounding Coastal - South 37-28, Coastal - North was undone by 33 turnovers and 36% shooting from the free throw line.
Building Off the Win
Coastal Alabama – South looks to improve to 2-0 and returns to action with a second consecutive road contest on Tuesday, Nov. 4, coming against Enterprise State (Ala.) at 5:30 p.m. CT. Tuesday's game is a non-conference matchup as Enterprise State sits in ACCC Division II.
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