ARDEN HILLS, MINN.--On Saturday, the Hamline University women's basketball team fell to Bethel (R.V.) with a final score of 52-33 at the Robertson Center in Arden Hills.

The Pipers fall to 16-7, 11-5 MIAC while the Royals, who have 48 votes on the most recent D3Hoops.com Top 25 Poll, improve to 19-4, 15-1 MIAC.

Bethel 52, Hamline 33

In the first quarter, both teams were competitive with several turnovers and missed opportunities. Yasmeen Abed scored the first points for Hamline with a layup at 7:40, assisted by Josie Wiebusch, to give them a 2-0 lead. Evelyn Wiltrout later added another layup for the Pipers, pushing their lead to 4-2 at 4:52. Bethel's Anna Garfield tied the game with two successful free throws, and later, Elly Schmitz and Emily Erickson contributed with baskets to help Bethel take an 8-4 lead by the end of the quarter. Both teams struggled with shooting, with a combined 5-for-28 field goal percentage in the period.

In the second quarter, Bethel gained an early advantage with Anna Garfield's layup and free throw, extending their lead to 11-4 with 9:01 on the clock. Elly Schmitz contributed significantly with a 3-pointer at 8:30, helping Bethel maintain momentum. Lauren Cooper responded with a jumper and later a 3-pointer, narrowing the Pipers' gap to 18-13 at 3:19. However, Bethel continued to outpace Hamline with Colette Duininck's 3-pointer and Elly Schmitz's tip-in, leading to a 28-15 advantage by the quarter's end. Bethel outscored Hamline 20-11 in the quarter.

The third quarter began with Bethel's Rosalie Penke hitting a 3-pointer and Lydia Hay assisting, pushing their lead to 31-15. Hamline responded with Josie Wiebusch's layup and Yasmeen Abed's 3-pointer, narrowing the gap to 31-20. The quarter saw a significant number of fouls, with Hamline committing eight and Bethel two, affecting the flow of the game. Despite the Royals maintaining a lead, the Pipers outscored them 17-14 in the quarter, thanks in part to late baskets by Lauren Cooper and Josie Schmidt, ending the quarter at 42-32 in favor of the home team.

In the fourth quarter, Bethel secured a decisive advantage over Hamline, highlighted by a 10-1 scoring run that secured them a 52-33 win.

Lauren Cooper stood out for the Pipers, leading with 10 points and contributing significantly on defense with three steals. Evelyn Wiltrout made a notable impact with her rebounding, securing seven total boards, including two offensive and five defensive. Josie Wiebusch was effective defensively as well, recording two steals and assisting on two occasions, while also adding a block to her stat line.

Elly Schmitz had a strong all-around performance, contributing 13 points, four blocks, and two steals. She also led the team with nine rebounds, including seven defensive boards. Anna Garfield was another key player, scoring 14 points while also providing four assists. Her shooting included five field goals made out of eleven attempts. Emily Erickson added to the team's defensive efforts with two blocks and five rebounds. Lydia Hay contributed seven points and six rebounds, demonstrating her effectiveness on both ends of the court.

The Pipers will travel to St. Catherine on Wednesday, February 19 for a 7 p.m. game.