Box Score

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - Bethel needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive and get back on the winning track.  Gabriella Gustafson (Jr., St. Louis Park, Minn.) helped the Royals do that by scoring 23 points in an 89-56 win over visiting Saint Mary's.

Gustafson had the hot hand right away in the game, making 4-of-7 three pointers in the first half alone.  She also added four rebounds and four assists on the afternoon.

The Royals came out strong, looking like a team determined to win after a close 70-69 loss on Wednesday to Macalester.  Bethel went into the locker room at halftime with a 48-34 lead thanks to some tenacious defense.  Sheri Laugen (So., Blaine, Minn.) and Kiersten Hansen (So., Eden Prairie, Minn.) each had three steals.  The defense as a whole forced 29 Cardinal turnovers.

Division I transfer Erica Hormig (So., Windom, Minn.) shot 7-for-9 for the floor giving the Royals 14 points, while Kristen Wolters (So., St. Cloud, Minn.) added 12 points of her own.  Wolters shot an impressive 5-for-7 from the floor, including 2-for-3 from the perimeter.

The surprise of the game was that Annegret Nautsch did not have a double-double, as she was held to just 8 points on 3-for-8 shooting, but she did manage to block another five shots and grab 13 rebounds.

Saint Mary's was led by Jess Miller who had 12 points, and by Stephanie Ayers with 11.

The win helps Bethel improve to 4-6 in the MIAC and 7-6 overall.  Meanwhile, Saint Mary's drops to 2-8 in conference play and 3-10 overall.  The Royals will be on the road for their next game as they take on Augsburg at 5:45 p.m. next Monday in Minneapolis.