Was over at Bethel's Robertson Center on this cold Thursday night to take in one of the MIAC Playoff Semifinal games - this one featuring visiting and fourth-seeded SMU which advanced with its blowout win over GAC on Tuesday night going up against host and second-seeded Bethel. The Royals; who lost last year to SMU in Winona, now had the rematch at home against the Cardinals and needed this game to not only get over the hump and into their very first MIAC Championship Game but also to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive as well.
Defense was the watchword in the opening minutes of this contest as the Royals stymied SMU and were able to grab a 5-0 lead thanks to a score in the paint by junior post Rachel Parupsky at the 18:46 mark along with free throws by both sophomore guard Shanni Moorse and junior point guard Hannah Niewald. Two Parupsky freebies at the 13:28 mark had Bethel up 7-3 but the Cardinals; employing a tough man-to-man defense of their own, battled back and were able to grab an 8-7 lead on consecutive scores by freshman forward/post Molly O'Toole; on of them a three-pointer from the right wing at the 12:48 mark. The Royals, however, would recover and embark on an 11-2 run fueled by a Niewald "3" and a drive and finish by the Fridley native that made it 18-10 with 8:21 left. SMU would trim the deficit to four with 6:54 left when O'Toole connected with a lay-up in transition but sophomore forward Kalli Zimmerman helped fuel another Bethel push with three scores over the next four minutes; including a "3" from the top of the key with 2:36 left that made it a 32-20 game and things were looking rosy for the Royals at this point. But the Cardinals - and specifically O'Toole - had other ideas and it was O'Toole who single-handedly brought SMU back from the brink just before the half as she scored all ten points that included back-to-back treys in a 10-3 Cardinal push that cut Bethel's lead to 35-30 at the half and suddenly the issue was very much in doubt.
A score in the paint by junior guard Shelby Auseth at the 19:37 mark of the second half drew SMU tantalizingly close; trailing only by three at 35-32 and the Cardinals managed to stay within striking distance over the next three minutes. With Bethel holding a 42-36 lead on Parupsky's score in the paint at the 16:47 mark, Zimmerman knocked down two freebies after being fouled at the 15:59 mark that pushed the lead to eight at 44-36 but this resourceful SMU team would not cave in just yet. Two free throws by sophomore point guard Emma Schaefer; who had that brilliant night vs GAC just two nights ago, knocked down two free throws at the 14:17 mark and a score in the paint by freshman reserve post Kayla Lardy at the 13:39 mark that helped shrink the Royals lead to six at 48-42. A "3" by junior reserve guard Micaela Meredith from the right corner at the 11:08 mark kept the Cardinals right in the thick of things; trailing only 52-47. It was here, however, that Bethel made its decisive move of the night; as a "3" from the left corner by Moorse at the 10:54 mark ignited an 11-4 burst that ended on treys by junior guard Sydney "Bam Bam" Schultz and freshman reserve guard Angie Kirchoff that gave the Royals a twelve-point 63-51 lead with 7:47 left and effectively put SMU behind the 8-ball. The Cardinals sagged down the stretch thanks to a suffocating Bethel defense and could never get back within single digits again. Bethel meanwhile was able to build on its lead down the stretch. An offensive rebound and putback by Parupsky with 5:52 left coupled with scores by both Schultz and Zimmerman upped the Royal advantage to 69-51 left. Insurance freebies by both Schultz and Zimmerman sealed the deal for a 72-56 Bethel victory that sends the Royals to their first-ever MIAC Championship Game.
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