MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - North Central scored nine straight points in the final 1:33 to defeat the Bethany Lutheran women's basketball team 65-60 on Friday night. With the loss the Vikings fall to 4-11 overall and 2-2 in the UMAC, while the Rams move to 9-5 overall and 3-1 in conference play.

The Rams were able to get things off on the right foot early in this one as they led 10-4 through the first seven-plus minutes of action. The Vikings would rally late in the first though as they scored eight unanswered points with four coming from Lexiss Trygg to lead 12-10 after one quarter.

In the second quarter the roles were reversed as the Vikings got out of the gates quick, scoring five straight points to lead by seven. The Rams would close the gap late though and eventually tie things up at 22 as the teams went into the half.

An Ashley Schindele three-pointer to open the third quarter started a 19-6 run that would push Bethany to a 41-28 lead late in the third quarter. The Rams would respond in a big way though, as they would score seven of the last nine points in the third quarter and the first eight points of the fourth to even things at 43. The Vikings would gain a few five-point leads in the middle of the fourth before NCU eventually tied things at 56 with 2:49 to play. Ashanti Boykin would answer by hitting a three and knocking down a free throw to put the Vikings up four with less than two minutes to play. The Rams would get layups on back-to-back possessions though before hitting a three of their own to lead by three with less than 30 seconds remaining. Bethany would miss on their ensuing possession and foul, and although the Rams would miss both free throws, they got the offensive rebound and scored it to seal the victory.

Schindele, Sara Kottke, and Kaylee Hunter paced the Vikings with 11 points each in this one with Kottke adding eight rebounds. Lexiss Trygg also gave Bethany solid minutes off the bench, as she scored 10 points and added five rebounds.

The Vikings are back at it tomorrow when they go to Northwestern for a 4:45 p.m. contest.