MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Trailing by 16 early in the second quarter, the Covenant women's basketball team came back and took a brief lead in the fourth quarter but could not complete the turnaround in a 57-51 loss at Faulkner on New Year's Eve.

The game was the first regular season contest for Covenant (0-4) since Dec. 11. It was also the first all-time meeting between the programs.

Destiny Mergilles scored a career-high 15 points, grabbed six rebounds, and had two blocks to lead the Scots. Mergilles went 7-of-7 at the foul line, as Covenant was 12-of-17 at the stripe.

Michaela Price hit three 3-pointers and finished with nine points, while Ruthie Moore had eight rebounds and six assists to go along with five points. Cosette Kirsch added seven points and six boards and Megan Rouse contributed five points, seven rebounds, and two blocks.

Faulkner (2-3) got out to a fast start as the host Eagles took a 10-0 lead in the opening minutes. The margin grew by the end of the first quarter as Faulkner led 20-7.

After a Faulkner 3-pointer early in the second, Covenant found itself down by 16 (23-7) -- the largest deficit it would face all game. Covenant would finish the second quarter outscoring the Eagles 11-4 to get within 27-18 at the half.

Mergilles' play on offense was a key to Covenant staying within striking distance as she scored 10 points in the first half.

In the third, Covenant continued on the comeback trail. Price hit 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to get the Scots within 29-26 with 6:12 remaining and Covenant had its most efficient quarter of the game with 17 points. 

Faulkner held a nine-point lead (44-35) entering the fourth, but Covenant surged ahead for the first time after a 10-0 run. Kirsch began the run with a 3-pointer on Covenant's first possession of the period before Price added another 3-pointer to get the Scots within 44-41 with 7:45 left.

Rouse capped the flurry with a layup, assisted by Moore, to give the Scots a 45-44 lead with under six minutes left.

Faulkner was scoreless for the first five-plus minutes of the fourth, but a rebound and putback from Ryann Sylvester with 4:30 left gave the lead back to the Eagles for good at 46-45. 

Covenant out-rebounded Faulkner, 53-44, with 14 offensive rebounds leading to 11 second-chance points. The Scots shot just 27.1 percent (16-of-59) but held Faulkner to 25.3 percent (17-of-67) from the field.

Micala Fisanick led Faulkner with 15 points, while Jacie Andrews had 11.

UP NEXT

Covenant will travel to Henderson, Tenn., to face NAIA foe Freed-Hardeman on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m. CST (2:30 p.m. EST).

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