Box Score

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Bethel Royals played their first of four games in the annual Border Battle tournament, and emerged victorious over Coe College, 3-1, in their match played at the University of St. Thomas.

The Royals dropped the first set 20-25, only to even the match at 1-1 after a 25-21 victory in the second set. The Royals and Kohawks then played a very even third set, only for Bethel to come out on top 28-26. The fourth and final set was decisively Bethel's, as they finished off the match with an overpowering 25-5 win.

Kelly Otto (Jr., Plymouth, Minn.) led the way for the Royals with 13 kills and three block assists for 14.5 points. Nicole Wriedt (Fr., Pewaukee, Wis.), who was the leading Bethel scorer against St. Thomas on Wednesday, had 10 kills and three block assists for 11.5 points, while co-captain Chelsea Falck (Sr., DeForest, Wis.) had 11 kills and a block assist for 11.5 points  as well. Fellow co-captain Jennifer Stoa (Sr., Brooklyn Park, Minn.) also had double-digit points with 10 on seven kills, a service ace, and four block assists.

Coe's leading scorer was Marisa Graham with 14 points on 10 kills, three service aces, and two block assists. Taylor Coots also had 10 kills, and finished with 11.5 points, while Kaitlin McLimon had 13.5 points on seven kills, two service aces, a solo block, and seven block assists.

Bethel improves to 7-12 overall with the win, while Coe drops to 3-20 overall. The Royals are scheduled to continue play in the Border Battle tournament, which features four MIAC schools versus four Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) schools, today at 8 p.m. when they take on Wartburg College.