MISHAWAKA, Ind. – The No. 20 Olivet Nazarene University women's basketball team concluded play at the Bethel University kickoff tournament falling to the tournament host Bethel University Pilots, 82-74, on Saturday.

Avery Curry and Kennedy Johnson kicked off the scoring for the Tigers as they led 5-0, early.  Bethel then took a 12-8 lead going on a 7-0 run.  Then the Tigers cut into the deficit and tied the game at 15 with three minutes left in the first quarter.  With a minute left, the Pilots marked seven of the final nine points and led the Tigers 28-23 going into the second quarter. 

Caroline Boehne, who scored the final points for the Tigers at the end of the first quarter, made a layup to kickoff the scoring for the Tigers as they trailed, 28-25.  Then Kaitlyn Engle tied the game at 28 with a three-ball.  The two teams played a close next couple minutes until Anne Peters and Karina Smits made threes to make the score, 37-32. After Bethel cut the deficit to one at 37-36, Maggie Cora and Smits made a three-ball to push the lead to 43-36.   The Tigers added six more points in the quarter and led 49-42 going into the half. 

Halftime: No. 20 ONU 49, Bethel 42

Kaitlyn Clark jumpstarted the Tiger offense with a made free throw and a layup to extend the Tiger lead to 10 at 52-42. Boehne marked the next six points of the game for the Tigers which made the score, 58-50. At 60-50, the Pilots went on a 9-0 run and cut the deficit to one at 60-59.  Neither team made a field goal the final minute of the quarter as the Tigers held on to a 65-61 lead going into the final quarter. 

The Tigers did not make a single basket until Cora made a layup at the 5:40 mark in the fourth quarter.  The Tigers led 67-65 despite the lengthy scoring drought.  Bethel then took the lead as they scored the next eight points until Boehne stopped the bleeding by making a free throw.  The Pilots led 73-68.

The Tigers were outscored 21-9 in the final quarter of play as the Bethel Unviersity Pilots took down the Tigers, 82-74. 

GAME VITALS

Final: Bethel 82, No. 20 Olivet Nazarene 74

Records: Bethel: 3-0 | No. 20 Olivet Nazarene 1-1

Location: Wiekamp Athletic Center | Bethel University | Mishawaka, Ind.  

QUICK HITS

• Boehne led the Tigers with a double-double with 20 points and 17 rebounds, which are both career-highs.
• Smits and Myers followed with 11 and 10 points, respectively. 
• Cora followed Boehne with eight rebounds. 
• Johnson led the Tigers with six assists.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The No. 20 Tigers travel to open Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference play traveling to Lee Lohman Arena as they take on the Fighting Bees of Saint Ambrose University.  The opening tip is set for 5:30 p.m.

--ONU—

*Contact: Sam Viebrock, Sports Information Director, stviebrock@olivet.edu