ARDEN HILLS, Minn.—The Bethel University women's basketball team enjoyed a warm welcome home to the Robertson Center Gym after starting their season with four consecutive road games. The Royals (3-2, 1-0 MIAC) used the fuel from their home crowd to defeat St. Catherine University 76-61 in the 2015 MIAC opener. BU's triumph handed the Wildcats (5-1, 0-1 MIAC) their first loss of the season.
 
SCU led 17-12 after the first quarter of play, but from then on it was all Bethel. BU outscored the Wildcats 22-11 in the second frame, 22-17 in the third, and 20-16 in the fourth. The Royals manufactured an 11-0 run at the end of the first half and a decisive 17-0 run midway through the second. Bethel dominated all facets of the game—outscoring St. Kate's 44-26 in the paint, 27-14 off the bench, 23-14 off of turnovers, and 18-14 in second chance points.
 
The Royals shot 37.3 percent from the floor and 82.8 percent from the free throw line. BU outrebounded the Wildcats 53-37 and tallied three more steals throughout the entire 40 minutes of play.
 
Shanni Moorse scored 16 points on 5-of-10 shooting and 6-of-7 from the charity stripe. Moorse added three rebounds and three steals to her stat line. Hannah Niewald tallied 12 points and six boards.
 
Sophomore transfer Molly O'Toole and returning senior Rachel Parupsky both recorded double-doubles. O'Toole finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Parupsky posted 10 points, 10 boards, and two blocks. They both finished 4-of-4 from the foul line.
 
Audra Clark had a game-high 18 points for St. Kate's, while LaShay Holt added 14 points, 14 rebounds, and five steals.
 
BU continues their season Saturday afternoon, when they host Concordia College in a men's and women's doubleheader. The women tipoff after the men around 3 p.m.