MOUNT VERNON, Iowa—Bethel University's women's basketball team finished off their weekend at the Cornell Classic with an 85-70 win over Buena Vista University. The Royals (1-1, 0-0 MIAC) got a well-deserved win in a tight game with the Beavers (1-2, 0-0 IIAC). The game was tied nine times and there were six lead changes.

The first quarter went back and forth with each team scoring effectively. The Royals gained and maintained the lead near the end of the first quarter and kept it until the middle of the fourth. Their largest lead of 10 points came at the 5:13 mark in the third quarter. The Beavers went on an 11-4 run in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 69. With 0:45 left in a tie game, Taite Anderson scored a tough bucket through contact while picking up a foul to give the Royals a 3-point lead. After a made free throw by the Beavers, Haylee Barker drove the lane and put in a left-handed floater to make it a two-possession game and seal the first win of the season for BU.

The Royals finished the game shooting 54.4 percent overall and 50.0 percent from three-point land. Senior Abby Miller led all scorers with 29 including 6-7 from three and 10-of-11 from the floor. Hannah Johnson posted her second straight double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Taite Anderson had a big day with 22 points and the crucial and-one to give the Royals the lead late in the fourth.

Buena Vista controlled the turnover margin 11-20 as well as points off turnovers, 21-15.  They also had more points in the paint, 48-40. Bethel's outstanding shooting percentage (54.4) helped the Royals overcome these mistakes and escape with their first win of the 2017-18 season.

Bethel is back on the road Tuesday, November 21 to play the University of Wisconsin-River Falls at 7 p.m. The Falcons head into this matchup undefeated.