Cosette Kirsch led the Covenant women's basketball team to a 67-61 overtime victory at Maryville with her 22 points. Kirsch hit back-to-back threes with under 10 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game to overtime.
The win marks the first win over Maryville in nearly two decades (January 8, 2002). The Scots now sit at 6-1 overall (3-0 USA South), which is the best start to a season since 2001-02 (7-1).
Three other Scots joined Kirsch in double figures. Destiny Mergilles added 14, while Madison Blevins scored 13 points.
Ruthie Moore recorded a double-double with her 11 points and 15 rebounds, and Mary Elaine Mitchell contributed seven points.
Covenant struggled to score in the first quarter, as they were held to only eight points for the entire period compared to Maryville's 16. Blevins tallied five of those eight off of a lay-up and a 3-pointer.
The second quarter remained much tighter between the teams, as both would record 10 points during the period. A lay-up from Hannah Jones made it 9-20 and gave Maryville their largest lead (11) of the game at the 6:53 mark.
A 3-pointer from Kirsch with 1:08 to play in the first half cut the host Scots' lead to six (18-24). Though, Maryville would quickly answer with a lay-up from Shelby Hix, ending the half with a 18-26 lead.
The third quarter also remained even between the USA South foes, as each team tallied 15 points for the period. Back-to-back threes from Kirsch and Blevins cut Maryville's lead to four (29-33) with 5:49 to play in the third. Covenant would struggle to score from there, though, only scoring four points for the remainder of the quarter.
Down 33-41 heading into the fourth, the visiting Scots turned on the heat, as they would outscore Maryville 21-13. Kirsch recorded eight of the 21 points.
A lay-up from Moore and a 3-pointer from Mitchell made it 38-41 with 7:42 to go. A lay-up from Mergilles soon followed at the 7:05 mark, bringing Covenant within one (40-41).
Maryville then went on a 6-0 run, extending the lead back out to seven (40-47) with 4:25 left to play. Covenant continued to fight, though, and a jump shot from Mergilles made it 46-49 with 2:43 on the clock.
Back-to-back free throws from Kirsch at the 1:34 mark would bring Covenant back within one (48-49). The score would stay that way until free throws from Courtney Carruthers made it 48-51 with 15 seconds left in regulation.
Carruthers would be sent to the line again with 11 seconds left, where she went 1-for-2, making it 48-52 in favor of Maryville.
Down by four with just over 10 seconds left, Kirsch would hit a deep 3-pointer right out of a Covenant timeout, making it 51-52 with eight seconds on the clock. Carruthers would once again be sent to the line and hit back-to-back free throws, which gave Maryville a 51-54 lead with seven seconds to go.
But, Kirsch was not to be outdone.
With four seconds left, the junior guard would hit yet another one from way downtown, tying the game and forcing overtime (54-54).
It was all Covenant in overtime, as they would start off with an 8-0 run (62-54) and outscore the host Scots 13-7. Moore and Kirsch combined for 10 of the 13 points during the period, helping Covenant to a 67-61 victory and their best start to a season in 20 years.
Carruthers led Maryville with 20 points, while Hannah Jones had a double-double of 19 points and 14 rebounds. Maryville falls to 2-5 overall and 1-2 in USA South play.
Covenant will return home to host Sewanee on Wednesday, December 8th at 6 p.m.