ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Bethany Lutheran women's basketball team traveled to Northwestern on Friday night and dropped a high scoring matchup with the Eagles 94-80. With the loss Bethany fall to 5-17 overall and 5-6 in the UMAC while UNW moves to 14-8 overall and 7-4 in the conference.
After a scoreless minute to open the game, both offenses started to click as they would each put up eight points before the six minute mark. Bethany would then go on a 14-4 run kicked off by an
Ashanti Boykin three to claim a 22-12 lead with 3:38 to go in the first. The Vikings would go cold for the final three-plus minutes though as Northwestern would score eight unanswered to cut the deficit to two points after 10 minutes.
UNW would take a lead early in the second quarter and hang onto their small lead until five straight points from the Eagles would push their lead to 45-36. They would hold onto that five point lead for the final two minutes of the half as they led 52-43 at the break.
The Eagles would push their lead to 11 points before
Gianna Klarenbeek would start to find her groove by getting a few buckets to cut the deficit to seven. Northwestern responded again by getting their lead all the way up to 14 points with 1:34 to go in the frame before the Vikings would cut the deficit to 11 headed to the fourth.
After a Northwestern basket to open the fourth, Bethany would go on a 7-2 run thanks to a pair of
Lexiss Trygg buckets to bring the deficit back to eight. That was as close as the Vikings would get though, as UNW would close out the game late though thanks to some timely shots and free throws.
Bethany attempted a season most 79 shots in the contest, connecting on 32 and grabbing offensive rebounds on another 16. They also posted a season low seven turnovers in their up-tempo style of play while forcing 12 out of the Eagles.
Klarenbeek had a big game for the Vikings, posting 26 points in the loss while
Aubrea Kor had 15. Trygg and
Megan Wegner were also in double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively, with Trygg also grabbing four offensive rebounds.
Bethany will be back in action tomorrow when they head to Minneapolis to take on North Central at 3 p.m.
