MACON, GA -- Coming off their first win of the season, spirits were very high in the Covenant locker room. Unfortunately those high spirits would last about 24 hours as the Lady Scots fell to Wesleyan College 58-49 Friday night in Macon, Georgia.
Covenant lost despite two players recording double-doubles. Jessie Blankenship had 19 points and 13 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season. Hannah Craft got her first double-double of the year with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Blankenship and Craft were the only two players in double figure scoring with no other Lady Scot getting more than 5 points.
What made the loss even tougher on the Lady Scots was the fact that Wesleyan only dressed five players for the game, meaning that Wesleyan head coach Jason Henry had no options off the bench. He would have to stick with the five that started the game for the entire 40 minutes.
But Covenant could not take advantage of their fortune as the Pioneers hung tough in the first half. The Lady Scots scored the first five points of the game aided by a three-pointer from Cross, her only three-point basket of the night, and a layup from Blankenship. Wesleyan would come back, though, and take a 6-5 lead. Both teams had numerous leads in the first 20 minutes as neither could gain an advantage larger than four points.
The second half was more of the same as Covenant and Wesleyan matched each other's basket with one of their own. Covenant grabbed a 38-35 edge on a Gibson three-pointer with 13:46 left in the game, and the Lady Scots would hold that three point margin for over five minutes. The Pioneers came back and took a one point lead at 49-48 after a steal and layup from Brieanna May with 5:28 left. Craft hit one of two free throws for Covenant with 2:35 to go to tie the game at 49. The Lady Scots could not manage another point after that, though, as the Pioneers gained a five point lead and would hit 4-6 from the free throw line in the final minute to seal the win.
Covenant had their chances in this one. The Lady Scots dominated the Pioneers in rebounding winning the battle 54-35, including 23 on the offensive glass. But poor shooting negated the rebounding margin as Covenant shot just 29% from the field and only 11.5% (3-26) from three.
Three of the five players for Wesleyan (3-4) scored in double digits with Bre'Ana Solmone leading the way with her 17 points while also blocking 12 shots. Brieanna May had 12 points and 8 rebounds while Erinn Williams added 11 points. Nivea Lewis and Ciara Walker rounded out the scoring for the home team with 9 apiece.
Covenant (1-7) will next play at Huntingdon College on Monday, January 10 at 5:00pm. Covenant lost the previous meeting to the Lady Hawks 54-48. The Lady Scots return to Barnes Physical Education Center on Thursday, January 20 against Maryville College at 6:00pm.
