MANKATO, Minn. - The Bethany Lutheran women's basketball team Tuesday night took on UW-Eau Claire and fell by a score of 71-53. With the loss the Vikings fall to 1-6 on the year while the Blugolds move to 1-5. 

It was Bethany who would take the early advantage in this one, as three pointers from Megan Wegner and Kaylee Hunter along with a driving finish from Aubrea Kor and a pair of free throws from Wegner would make things 10-4 in their favor just over three minutes in. Eau Claire would answer back over the next three minutes, as they would score 11 of the next 14 points and would hold a two point edge before a Kor jumper re-evened things at 15. The Blugolds would keep their momentum to end the frame however, as they would score the final eight points to lead 23-15 after one. 

UWEC would strike first in the second with a three pointer, before baskets from Juliana Ewald and Kenadi Arndt would pull the deficit to seven. Both teams would then trade buckets over the next few minutes before the Blugolds once again closed a quarter strong, scoring the last seven points fo the second to lead 37-23 at the half. 

After the visitors would slowly extend upon their lead in the third by pushing it as far as 19 at the midway point, the Vikings would claw back and it started with a drought ending three from Kor. The three-pointer sparked an 11-4 run from the Vikings with Kor scoring 11 points in the flurry as the Vikings would draw the deficit to 12 at 51-39 after three. 

The two teams would battle back and forth in the early portions of the fourth quarter with neither gaining much traction either way. With Bethany still trailing by 14 with 4:30 to go, back to back baskets from the Blugolds would extend their lead to 18 points and they would go on to win by that mark at 71-53. 

Kor led Bethany with 12 points while four other Vikings added six. Hunter had five points for Bethany but also added a team-high seven rebounds to go along with two assists, a steal, and a block.

The Vikings will next be in action on Saturday when they host UW-Stevens Point for a 3 p.m. contest.