Box Score

ARDEN HILLS, Minn.—It was senior night all over again for the Bethel University women's basketball team, as Katelyn Vavra and Micaella Petrich buried eight 3-pointers in the Royals (20-6, 17-5 MIAC) 68-55 win over St. Olaf College in the quarterfinal matchup of the 2014 MIAC Playoffs.
 
Katelyn Vavra and Micaella Petrich shot 8-of-17 from downtown in Tuesday night's affair. Vavra finished 5-of-11 and Petrich drained 3-of-6, but all were at clutch moments in the MIAC battle. The Oles (14-12, 12-10 MIAC), who trailed 26-35 at the intermission break, went on a 12-3 surge to even the game at 38. Yet a trio of 3-pointers from Vavra and another from Petrich put Bethel ahead for good 54-44.
 
Several other Royals contributed to the postseason victory—BU's second since 1986—including Kalli Zimmermann and Rachel Parupsky, who had a combined 25 points, 20 rebounds, and eight blocks. Zimmermann finished Tuesday night's matchup with 14 points, eight boards, and two steals, while Parupsky tallied a double-double with 11 points, 12 rebounds, seven blocks, and two assists.
 
As a team, Bethel finished the competition shooting 36.8 percent from the floor and 34.5 percent from downtown. Each team scored 28 points in the paint, but the Royals owned a 17-5 advantage in points scored off turnovers. Perhaps BU's biggest margin was in bench contribution, as the Royals outscored St. Olaf 32-13 in bench points.
 
Bethel did an exceptional job controlling the ball Tuesday as well. The Royals suffered just 11 turnovers, while assisting 18 shots. Conversely, the Oles surrendered the ball 18 times and assisted just nine buckets.
 
Elise Raney led the Oles, scoring 18 points, boarding 14 shots, and blocking eight attempts. Her near triple-double was almost identical to last Saturday's 19 points, 11 rebounds, and eight blocks against the Royals.
 
With the win Bethel will travel to Winona, Minn., Thursday night to take on Saint Mary's University in the semifinal game of the MIAC Playoffs. The Royals were one of two teams to hand the No. 1-seeded Cardinals a loss in loop play throughout the 2013-14 campaign. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.