Box Score
ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - When it comes to MIAC games, there is no such thing as a small victory. On the flip side, today's 79-66 win over the Concordia Cobbers was a huge victory for the Bethel Royals as they upset one of the two teams tied for first place in the conference standings.
At first, turnovers got Bethel into some trouble and trailed by as many as 10 points six minutes into the game. However, the Royals began to turn things around and by the end of the half they led by as many as 10 points.
Annegret Nautsch (Sr., Everett, Wash.) earned nine of her 17 points in the first half, as well as nine of her 16 rebounds.
Autumn Beasley (Fr., Medina, Minn.) led the Royals in the first 20 minutes with 11 points, an assist, and a steal.
The Royals never trailed in the second half as they extended their lead to 14 points, only to have it diminished down to four points with just over two minutes to play. Thankfully, Bethel got some clutch baskets at the free throw line from both
Taylor Sheley (Fr., Backus, Minn.) and
Shana Grejtak (So., Franklin, Minn.), as well as a big three-point shot by
Kristen Wolters (Jr., St. Cloud, Minn.) that all but took the wind out of the Cobber sails.
Sheley would go on to tie Beasley for the game's high score mark with 19 points. Nautsch finished with her ninth double-double and added five more blocks to her season total, giving her 84 thus far, which leads the nation. Grejtak had nine points and four rebounds, as well as three steals, only to be outdone in that category by Wolters who had four, as well as six points, four assists, and four rebounds.
Concordia was led by Jenna Freudenberg with 15 points and six assists. Maggie Bauernfeind could seemingly not miss from beyond the three-point line in the first half and went on to score 14 points, as did Erica Nord. Jenna Green was the fourth Cobber to post double figures with 11.
As a team, Bethel shot better than 50 percent from the floor and better than 80 percent from the free throw line, making a big difference in the game. Concordia made just under 35 percent of their field goals and only two-thirds of their free throws.
The win puts Bethel at 9-9 overall and 8-7 in conference play and bumps Concordia from their first place tie with Saint Benedict. The Cobbers are now 12-3 in the MIAC and 13-5 overall. The Royals are scheduled to stay at home to take on St. Catherine next Monday night at 7:30 p.m. for their next game.
