ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Bethany Lutheran women's basketball team Wednesday night would stage a late comeback with strong three-point shooting against Northwestern, but eventually fell to the Eagles 68-61. With the loss the Vikings fall to 1-11 overall and 0-1 in the UMAC, while the Eagles move to 7-5 overall and 1-0 in conference play. 

It was a good start for the Vikings and it was Lexiss Trygg who would put them on the board twice early with two baskets inside for the 4-0 lead. The Eagles would respond with nine straight points, before Gianna Klarenbeek would knock down a triple to end the dry spell. Northwestern would work their lead back to three points late in the quarter as they would hold an 18-15 edge, before a 7-2 run to end the frame from Bethany would put them up 22-20 after the first. 

After a strong offensive quarter from both teams in the first that saw them each shoot above 47 percent from the field, the second was a struggle for both as neither eclipsed 25 percent shooting in the frame. The Eagles would turn the ball over just one time in the quarter, but Bethany would lock them down defensively, holding them to 2-of-15 shooting in the quarter to outscore them 9-7 and hold a 31-27 lead at the half. 

The Vikings would open with the third with the first four points before the Eagles started to make their game altering push. UNW would score on 10 of their next 12 possessions to propel them on a 22-5 run as they gained a 49-40 lead with three minutes to go in the third. Over the final three minutes, the Vikings would outscore Northwestern 4-3 as they would trail 52-44 headed to the fourth. 

After the Eagles pushed their lead back to 10 points to open the fourth, the Vikings would start to catch fire from long range to work their way back into the contest. Four different Bethany players would knock down three point shots in a four-minute span for the Vikings as they would go on a 14-5 run and bring the deficit to just one point at 59-58 with 2:30 to play.

UNW would score the next four points with free throws to extend their lead back to five points, but JJuliana Ewald would hit her second three of the quarter to bring the deficit back to two points with 1:30 to go. After a Bethany steal on the other end, they were able to get a good look as Trygg attempted a mid range jumper, but it rattled around the rim and tumbled out and the Eagles would corral the rebound and head to the line with 17 seconds to go. They would make two more to extend their lead to four points, and the late attempts from Bethany fell short as they dropped the contest 68-61. 

Klarenbeek led the Vikings with 12 points in the contest while Trygg and Kaylee Hunter each added 10. Aubrea Kor posted a great all-around effort for Bethany as well, as she scored nine points while also adding 10 rebounds and five assists. 

The Vikings will next be in action on Saturday when they host UW-Superior in a 4:45 p.m. contest.