NASHVILLE, Tenn. – NAIA No. 20 Trevecca (2-0) defeated Covenant College (0-5) 71-65 on Tuesday night at Moore Gymnasium. 

Covenant pulled ahead 4-1 to start the game before Trevecca ran off a 8-0 run to gain a 9-4 lead with 15:20 to play in the half. Covenant answered with a 7-0 run to claim a 11-9 lead with 10:47 remaining in the half. Trevecca would eventually pull ahead 30-21 with 2:27 remaining in the half, but again Covenant answered and only allowed Trevecca to hold a 36-29 halftime lead. Trevecca’s two leading scorers at the break Jana Reed (8) and Ashlie Gilland (11) both picked up 3 first half fouls.

Trevecca led the entire second half, but never found a comfortable margin. With 4:08 remaining Trevecca’s Ashlie Gilland fouled out with Trevecca leading 59-54. Covenant took advantage and pulled to within one point at 59-58 with 3:00 minutes remaining. Trevecca tried to put the game away with a 7-0 run and led by eight (66-58) with 2:00 minutes remaining. Covenant rallied again and pulled to within one at 66-65 with sixty seconds remaining. Both teams turned the ball over before Trevecca’s Mariska Reed was fouled with :31 seconds remaining. Reed hit one of two to make it a two point Trevecca lead. Julia Machelala stole the ball for Trevecca but Covenant rebounded a missed shot. Covenant missed their next attempt and Trevecca’s Jana Reed grabbed the rebound, was fouled, and hit two free throws to ice the game, as Trevecca claimed the victory 71-65.

Trevecca’s Ashlie Gilland posted 17 points and hit 3 of 5 three-point attempts and led the team with four steals. Jana Reed scored 14 points and added a team high nine rebounds and dished out three assists. Kristin Scoggins added 13 points and Mariska Reed was the fourth Trojan with double figure scoring as she added 10 points.  As a team, the Trojans shot 44.6% from the floor (25-56), 31.6% from behind the arc (6-19), and 68.2% from the charity stripe (15-22).