MENOMONIE, WIS.—The No. 13 Bethel University women's basketball team opened their 2025-26 season with a 61-53 road loss to UW-Stout on Wednesday night.

The Royals fall to 0-1, while the Blue Devils improve to 2-1.

UW-Stout 61, Bethel 53

The game's first 12 points belonged to the Royals, who opened the game with a 14-2 run capped by a pair of free throws from Macey Littlefield with 4:32 remaining in the first quarter. That 12-point cushion was Bethel's largest of the contest, as Stout flipped the script with a 12-point cushion of their own thanks to a 30-6 run that gave them a 32-20 halftime lead.

Alli Born had 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting, two steals, one block, and three offensive rebounds in the third quarter. Her stellar play in the frame got Bethel within three points of Stout at 43-40 within the final two minutes, before both teams entered the fourth quarter with a 46-42 score. 

The Royals turned a pair of offensive rebounds into four points within the opening two minutes of the fourth quarter courtesy of Littlefield and Elly Schmitz, which narrowed the score to 46-44 and 48-46 with 8:02 on the clock.

This ignited a Blue Devil squad that went on an 11-2 run, capped by Mary Berg's three-pointer, that gave them their double-digit lead back at 59-48 with 4:32 left in the game. Bethel scored the contest's lone two field goals from that point forward as both teams combined for just seven points down the stretch, where Stout secured a 61-53 win.

Alli Born finished with 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting, six steals, two blocks, and seven rebounds for the Royals. Emily Erickson had a team-leading 11 rebounds and seven points. Littlefield and Elly Schmitz each had nine points for Bethel.

Both teams combined for 38 steals, 17 of them belonged to the Royals. 

Mary Berg led Stout with 12 points, five steals and two assists. Brooklyn Birt had seven assists for the Blue Devils.

The Royals will open MIAC play at Concordia (Minn.) on Tuesday, November 25 at 7 p.m.