SAINT PETER, Minn. – Turnovers proved to be the demise of the Gustavus women’s basketball as they dropped an 82-69 contest to No. 11 Bethel on Saturday afternoon. With the loss the Gusties fall to 17-6 overall and 13-5 in the MIAC, while the Royals move to 22-1 overall and 17-1 in the MIAC.
Bethel was able to force 29 Gustavus turnovers in the contest while committing just 12 of their own. The Gusties were able to keep up from the Royals from the field, as the Black and Gold posted a field goal percentage of 47.7, while Bethel shot 49.2.
After the Royals took an early lead, the Gusties would hang tough. Bethel jumped ahead 15-11 with 2:11 to play in the first, but the Gusties forced a pair of Bethel turnovers and would turn them into points to even things at 15 at the end of one quarter.
Bethel would retake its lead in the second frame, pushing its advantage to 26-21 midway through the quarter. After the Gusties cut the deficit to one, the Royals would go on a 10-4 run to push their lead to 36-29 with under forty seconds to play in the half. Ava Gonsorowski (Jr., Esko) and Caitlin Rorman (Fy., Blue Earth) would both find their way to the free throw line in the waning seconds of the half and both converted a pair of attempts to pull the game within one possession at half.
The Gusties would tie the game at the beginning of the third quarter at 36 and again at 38 before Bethel made its first big push. The Royals would score eight unanswered and 10 of the next 12 to take a 50-40 lead midway through the third quarter. The teams would trade buckets the remainder of the quarter as the Royals took a 61-53 lead into the final frame.
Bethel’s defense locked down the Gusties early in the fourth quarter. The Royals scored just five points in the first four minutes of play but held Gustavus scoreless in the same time, forcing five turnovers in the process, to hold a 66-53 lead with six minutes to play. The Gusties would knock down a few shots late but Bethel always had an answer as they eventually took the 82-69 victory.
Gonsorowski led Gustavus with 18 points with Rorman following closely behind her with 15. Anna Sanders (Fy., Vadnais Heights) and Maddy Rice (Fy., Forest Lake) were also both in double figures as they both notched 10.
Gustavus is next in action Wednesday when they travel to Saint Mary’s for a 7 p.m. contest