MARYVILLE, Tenn. — Maryville College put together one of its most complete and meaningful weekends of the season, knocking off previously undefeated Belhaven to cap a 2–0 stretch in CCS play and extend its momentum heading deeper into the conference schedule. The Scots followed up Friday's win over Piedmont by taking down the league's top team, a result that vaulted Maryville into fourth place in the Collegiate Conference of the South standings and sent a clear message across the conference.
Facing a Belhaven squad that entered the day unbeaten in CCS action, Maryville leaned on toughness, energy, and defensive intensity to control the game. The Scots never flinched from the challenge, matching Belhaven's physicality early and executing when it mattered most down the stretch to secure one of their biggest wins of the season.
Junior Kadence Stoner credited the confidence gained in Friday's win over Piedmont as a major factor in Saturday's performance.
"We've had a lot of games where it came down to the fourth quarter and it just got away from us," Stoner said. "Yesterday, we proved to ourselves that we could finish a game off. So the fire and the intensity today was even better. We had something to prove."
That intensity showed up on the glass, where Stoner delivered a dominant performance with 14 rebounds. After Belhaven attacked the boards early, Maryville responded by controlling the paint and limiting second-chance opportunities, a shift that helped the Scots take command of the game.
Maryville was also tested early when leading scorer Emily Wilson went down just minutes into the contest. With Wilson sidelined, the Scots briefly had to regroup offensively, but the response spoke to the team's growth and composure.
"When we saw her go down, we were like, 'Oh no,'" Stoner said. "But we all looked at each other and said, 'Okay, we can still do this.' I was really proud of us for fighting through that."
That next-player-up mentality proved crucial, as freshman Chloe Powell provided an immediate spark off the bench. Powell knocked down timely three-pointers to ignite the offense, giving Maryville a much-needed boost at a critical moment.
"She's one of the hardest workers on the team," Stoner said. "To see her come alive like that was huge for us."
Head coach Darrin Travillian pointed to the entire week as the foundation for the Scots' breakthrough performance.
"Tuesday night set the tone," Travillian said. "We played well enough to win on the road at Asbury, and the girls came out of that knowing we can play with anybody—but we're going to have to take it."
Despite offensive challenges against Belhaven, including 22 turnovers, Travillian praised his team's defensive commitment and resilience.
"They average 84 points a game, and we held them to 54," he said. "We played a whole half without our leading scorer, everybody stepped up, and we just grinded."
Maryville's defensive effort, combined with timely execution in key moments, allowed the Scots to pull away and close out the win in front of a energized home crowd. The performance echoed the identity of past Maryville teams built on defense and toughness—an identity Travillian believes this group is beginning to fully embrace.
"This team is starting to understand that defense gives you a chance," Travillian said. "Even when you're not making shots, if you'll defend, you give yourself a chance."
With the weekend sweep of Piedmont and Belhaven, Maryville continues to build confidence and momentum at the right time. Now sitting fourth in the CCS standings, the Scots have firmly established themselves as a contender as conference play moves into its decisive stretch.
