MANKATO, Minn. – The Bethany Lutheran women's basketball team (2-1 overall, 2-1 UMAC) fell in its home opener, 85-72, against Northwestern (11-4, 5-1) Thursday.

The Vikings nearly erased an 11-point deficit late in the game. A layup from senior Hanna Geistfeld (Truman, Minn.) made it a two-point game (63-61) with 7:29 to play in the fourth quarter. The Eagles answered with 5-0 run on their next two possessions to make it 67-61 with 6:29 to go. Junior Laura Ellinghuysen (Winona, Minn.) scored the next five points for the Vikings as she made it 69-66 with 5:31 remaining.
 
Northwestern would push its margin to double digits once more it scored the next 10 points over the next two minutes. Geistfeld whittled the advantage to seven on her layup with just over a minute left. The Vikings then fouled to get the ball back and UNW made both free throws to make it a nine-point game (81-72) with 54 seconds to go. A missed shot by BLC was rebounded by the Eagles who scored on a layup to make it an 11-point game once more. Another missed shot by the Vikings was corralled by Northwestern, who scored again to make it 85-72.
 
Geistfeld led the team with a double double as she finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Three teammates joined her in double figures as Ellinghuysen had 17 points, freshman Sara Kottke (Buffalo Lake, Minn.) had 12, and senior Abby Olson (Montevideo, Minn.) had 11.
 
BLC owned the team advantages in offensive rebounds, and total rebounds.
 
The Vikings conclude their two-game homestand Saturday in the UMAC game of the week, when they host Minnesota Morris at 3 p.m.