GALLATIN, Tenn. - A slow start but Trinity behind early, as the Trolls struggled to rally back in a 86-78 road loss to Welch (Tenn.) on Saturday.

John Cison led the way for Trinity (4-7), scoring a game-high 21 points as four players finished in double figures for the Trolls. Troy Glover posted 15 points with nine rebounds, while Brady Loerop tallied 12 points and Michael Wright finished with 11.

Trinity struck first, on Jayden Bridgeman's game-opening jumper, but Welch would respond with 12 unanswered to take a lead they would hold the rest of the way. The Trolls used a 14-2 run midway through the first half to even the score at 30-30 on a Saeer Miller jump shot, but the home team would go on to build a nine-point advantage at the half.

Glover's dunk shortly after the break closed the gap to five, but that would be as close as the Trolls would get as Welch maintained a single-digit lead throughout the second half.

The Trolls step back into conference play on Tuesday night, when they head to Saint Xavier. Tipoff with the Cougars is set for 7:00 pm.