ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – A historic season for the No. 6th-ranked Bethel University women's basketball team came to a close in the first round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship Saturday evening falling to Bethany Lutheran College, 62-58.
The Royals finish the year with a program-best 26 wins and .929 winning percentage with a 26-2 overall mark. This group left it all on the court in a record-breaking season that saw them claim the program's first-ever MIAC Playoff Championship.
"This does not take take away from anything this group accomplished and I want to thank Taite [Anderson] and Haylee [Barker] for their growth over four years," said head coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer in the post game press conference. "The growth in them and what there going to do later in life because of the experience and hardships they have had to fight through, have prepared them for what's next. I couldn't be more proud of everything they have done and the culture that they have helped create that will live on past them."
In her final game as a Royal, senior Taite Anderson poured in 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 30 minutes of action. With senior guard Haylee Barker out due to injury, junior Bella Williams stepped in collecting seven steals and four assists to go along with nine rebounds. Williams finishes the season with a program single-season record 115 steals – which ranks third in the MIAC single-season record books – while Barker finished with 98.
Off the bench, Elizabeth Schwarz posed a threat inside with 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Kat Brown-Erdal and Makenna Pearson each sank a pair of treys finishing with eight and nine points respectively.
Things were tied 58-58 heading into the final minute of play as a pair of empty possessions from the Royals gave the Vikings an opportunity to seal it at the charity stripe where they went 18-for-21 (85.7 percent) for the game.
In front of 1,132 fans, Sydney Blandin beat the horn in the first quarter evening it at 15-15. The strong pressured defense Bethel has played all season long had its effect on the Vikings in the second. A four-plus minute scoring drought by Bethany Lutheran allowed the Royals to gain a 33-25 advantage at the break.
A 3-ball from Pearson at the 9:10 mark in the third gave BU its largest lead of the game at 38-25, before offensive struggles plagued the Navy and Vegas Gold.
The Vikings went on a 9-0 run to close out the third where they outscored Bethel 21-13 to even it up at 46-46. Hitting 5-of-7 long balls in the second half, Bethany Lutheran finished 8-for-15 (53.3 percent) behind the arc and were led in scoring by Abby Olson with 21 points.
Story by Austin Lagesse, Bethel University Assistant Sports Information Director