ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The Bethel University women's basketball team remained undefeated in MIAC play with a 78-69 win at Saint Benedict Wednesday afternoon. A layup from Anna Garfield with 6:35 put Bethel ahead for good, 60-58, as the Royals handed the Bennies their first conference loss by going 11-of-12 from the charity stripe in the final five minutes.
 
Garfield finished the night with 18 points, five rebounds and four assists. Emily Erickson finished with 15 points, going a perfect 7-for-7 from the line and grabbing five boards. Colette Duininck finished with 12 points, while Lydia Hay chipped in 11 points, all in the first half. Elly Schmitz finished with a game-high eight rebounds.
 
The Royals led 54-51 heading into the final 10 minutes before an early 7-0 run by the Bennies gave them a 58-56 lead. A layup from Duininck evened it back up before Garfield scored 10 of BU's final 20 points.
 
Trailing 21-15 after one quarter, the Royals' perimeter defense in the second held Saint Benedict to 2-of-9 behind the arc and just 20 percent from the field, after CSB shot 50 percent in the first. BU went on a nearly three-minute scoring drought as the Bennies' advantage reached its largest of the night at 31-21 with 3:27 let in the second.
 
Hay knocked down an 18-footer in the final seconds of the half, closing an 11-0 run over the final 3:24, and giving BU a 32-31 advantage at the break.
 
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Now 9-3 on the year and 5-0 in conference play, the Royals return to the Robertson Center to host Macalester on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 3 p.m.
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