WINONA, Minn.—The Bethel University women's basketball team battled back-and-forth with Saint Mary's University Wednesday evening and pulled away with a well-earned 69-56 victory in Winona. The Royals (7-1, 3-0 MIAC) kept their composure and found a way to defeat the Cardinals (6-2, 2-1 MIAC), who were receiving votes in the latest WBCA Top 25 poll, at the end of the fourth quarter.
 
The score seesawed all game long. BU and SMU were tied up six times. The Royals went into the second quarter with an eight-point lead, but two three-pointers with seven minutes left in the half allowed the Cardinals to creep within three. SMU's momentum continued from there, as they jumped ahead of Bethel until just under a minute remaining in the second frame. BU's Hannah Simpson was able to get a pair of free throws to go and the Royals went into the locker room with a slim 27-26 advantage.
 
The game continued to go back-and-forth the entire third quarter and most of the fourth. Then, with four minutes left in the game, Bethel strung together a series of offensive possessions that put BU ahead by 11, which gave the Royals more than enough to secure the road win.  
 
Bethel's advantages came in the paint and on the bench. The Royals outscored the Cardinals 23-12 in bench points and 24-14 in the paint. BU also out-rebounded SMU 46-36.
 
Kalli Zimmermann led the team in scoring with 21 points and assists with three. Taite Anderson led the Royals on the glass with 11 boards and six points. Shanni Moorse added 10 points and four rebounds, while Jasmin Bretoi went 3-of-6 from downtown for nine points.
 
Bethel's next battle is a rare Friday night matchup on December 7, when they travel down Snelling Ave. to take on Macalester College at 5:45 p.m.