Box Score

Pella, Iowa - The Bethany Lady Vikings opened their season with a heartbreaking 76-71 loss to the hosting Central Dutch. While the Vikings dominated points-in-the-paint, the Dutch were dead-on from beyond the three-point arc, scoring 36 points from behind the line compared to the Vikings nine.

The entire game was evenly matched, and while the Dutch held a lead for almost the entire first half, there was a mere minute near the middle of the half where the Vikings were down by more than four, but with 1:40 remaining in the first half the Vikings Sarah Lodusa (Jackson, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) hit a three pointer to put Bethany up by two. Kelsie Ammann (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) tacked on a free throw, to keep the Vikings up 31-30 going into the half after a bucket by Central.

The second half see-sawed back and forth, with Anna Cepak (Aurora, Neb./Aroura) leading the Vikings with 12 points in the paint, and hitting 10 of 12 free throws . Despite this hard attack around the basket, Central’s key player kept the Dutch moving in and out of the lead, hitting 4 three-pointers, including one with 2:07 left in the game that broke the final tie of the night. Nicole Jones (Mankato, Minn./Mankato East) hit two free throws with 51 seconds left to put Bethany within three points, but the Vikings could not finish the game, falling to Central with the final score of 76-71.

Cepek led the Vikings with 22 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks. Jones recorded 19 points, six rebounds, six assists, and five steals. Jessica Englund (Andover, Minn./St. Francis) was the team’s leading rebounder with 11 total, she also added seven points.

The squad will travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this weekend to compete in the Alverno Tip-Off. The Vikings will take on Buena Vista on Friday at 6 p.m.