BOX SCORE

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The Royals welcomed Augsburg College Monday night to the Robertson Center Gym for its 2011-12 home opener and walked away with an exceptional 66-57 win over the previously undefeated Auggies. Throughout the 40 minutes of play each team exchanged eight lead changes and 16 ties, yet it in the end it was BU that finished the game on top. The win extends the Royals win-streak to five games.

The first half saw five ties between the two opponents, as the contest appeared to be considerably even throughout the opening 20 minutes. Bethel owned the largest lead of the game with its opening three-pointer by Kelly Swenson (Jr., Dawson, Minn.) in the beginning of the game until the 3:44 mark, when Augsburg went up by five. In the final three minutes BU crafted an 11-3 run that allowed Bethel to own the 31-28 advantage at the half.

The Royals owned the glass in the opening period, outrebounding the Auggies 16-11. Included in the 16 rebounds were eight offensive boards that resulted in ten second-chance points. In the opening 20 minutes, Lindy Parker (Fr., Rosemount, Minn.) was four-for-four from the floor with nine points and five rebounds.

The second half maintained the same intensity on both ends of the court as the score would interchange three more times and come to a tie six additional times. Bethel stretched its lead to five immediately before the Auggies answered with a 6-0 run that found Augsburg leading by one with just over 16 minutes to play. From that point on neither team led by more than three points until the 4:21 point, when the Royals had just pulled ahead by five thanks to another Swenson jumper. BU hit the dagger a minute-and-a-half later when Swenson had a back-door layup that put Bethel ahead by eight points, the largest lead by either team throughout the entire competition. The Royals hit clutch free throws down the stretch and ended the game with the 66-57 win over Augsburg.

In the second half alone Taylor Sheley (Sr., Backus, Minn.) put the team on her back with 19 points. Nicole Berscheid (So., Holdingford, Minn.) and Swenson also contributed six second-half points.

Throughout the game Sheley led all athletes with 26 points, two boards, one steal, and one block. Kelly Swenson recorded her highest total of the season with 14 points. Lindy Parker finished with nine points, eight boards, and two assists.

The Royals outrebounded the Auggies in Monday evening's contest 26-24, including a 11-8 edge in offensive boards. BU created 16 Augsburg turnovers, which led to 15 Bethel points. Perhaps one of the greatest assets to the Royal attack Monday was its bench play, as Jon Herbrechtsmeyer's nonstarters pitched in 21 points compared to Augsburg's 8.

Brittany Zins dropped 20 points for the visiting Auggies, who were coming off back-to-back wins over Saint Benedict and Concordia. With the win over the Blazers Augsburg ended a 25-season, 50-game losing streak against Saint Benedict.

BU will head to Northfield to face Carleton in a Wednesday evening affair scheduled for 7:30 p.m.