MARYVILLE, Tenn. -- Starters Aleigha Williams and Kaley Hallmark combined for 26 points, but the women's basketball team fell at USA South foe Maryville 64-41 on Tuesday night at Boydson Baird Gymnasium.

Covenant drops to 6-6 overall and 0-2 in conference play with the loss. Maryville, the defending conference champion, improves to 10-3 on the year with a 2-0 mark in league play.

Covenant scored the first four points of the night as Williams made a jumper on the opening possession and Hallmark added a layup, assisted by Clara Dirkse, on the next to give the visiting Scots a 4-0 lead. Covenant opened up a 13-8 lead at the 1:58 mark of the first quarter after Grace Potter drove in for a layup. Maryville scored the final five points of the period to draw even at 13.

The solid play for Covenant continued early in the second as Williams drained a 3-pointer with 8:22 left giving the Scots a 19-16 lead. Williams followed that with a jumper at 7:10 to make it 21-19. Maryville answered over the final seven minutes of the quarter as it went on a 13-0 run to take a 32-21 lead into halftime.

Maryville would pull away in the final two quarters to pick up the victory.

Williams had 15 points and five rebounds for Covenant, while Hallmark had 11 points and two assists. Emma Grimes came off the bench to score 11 points and grab four rebounds. The Scots made seven 3-pointers on the night and had 10 second-chance points on 11 offensive rebounds.

Maryville was led by 20 points and 15 rebounds from Allyson Freiermuth. Haley Talbott (14) and Lauren Biliter (10) also scored in double figures for Maryville. The host Scots were limited to just 37.3 percent (22-of-59) shooting, but held a 44-36 rebounding edge and made 15-of-18 at the free throw line.

UP NEXT

Covenant will travel to LaGrange on Friday for a USA South contest. Tip-off is slated for 5:30 p.m.

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