ORANGE, Calif.—The Bethel University women's basketball team is enjoying a warm-weather getaway between Christmas and New Year's by traveling to Orange, CA for a pair of games against nonconference foes University of Redlands and Chapman University. The Royals got off to a hot start Monday night, as a 3-pointer by Sydney Schultz with under a minute to go gave BU a 55-52 victory over the University of Redlands.
 
Bethel trailed the Bulldogs 28-36 with 17:48 remaining in the game, but a 21-9 run for the Royals over the next 12 minutes gave BU a four-point spread with 5:40 left on the clock. Redlands tied it up one minute later and play remained deadlocked until Schultz's dagger with 0:55 left on the clock.
 
Ironically, the basket was Schultz's first of the game, as she finished with three points and four rebounds. But what gave Bethel the advantage in the final frame was holding their opponent to 32 percent shooting. Poor shooting by Redlands helped the Royals outrebound the Bulldogs 21-15 in the second half.
 
Bethel finished the contest shooting 34.5 percent from the floor and 21 percent from downtown. An off night at the charity stripe had the Royals just 13-of-23 from the foul line. But thanks to 36 points by Rachel Parupsky, Kalli Zimmermann, and Hannah Niewald, BU was able to fend off Redlands down the stretch. Niewald boarded 10 shots while Parupsky and Zimmermann hauled down another 10 collectively. Lindy Parker contributed 10 rebounds as well.
 
The Royals will close out their time in Southern California Tuesday night with an 8:30 tipoff against Chapman University.