A little late in getting this in my blog but wanted to provide a recap of Monday night's game that had GAC coming back up to the Twin Cities for a rematch with host Bethel in the last conference game of the season that saw the Royals hang on for a 61-58 victory.
Bethel would get off to a solid start in this game as senior forward Makenna Pearson's "3" at the 6:36 mark of the opening period gave the Royals a 5-2 lead. That lead would grow to six points when senior forward Elizabeth Schwarz connected with a lay-up with 4:29 left and fellow senior guard Jennifer Hicks would drain a "3" with 3:45 left to make it 10-4 and Bethel would take a 14-9 advantage into the second period. The Gusties would finally break out of their offensive doldrums and get things tied up at 16 a piece thanks to scores from senior guard Marisa Gustafson, sophomore sensation forward Caitlin Rorman and a three-point bomb by athletic sophomore guard Maddy Rice at the 7:16 mark of the second period. Gustafson would bury a "3" of her own at the 6:38 mark to propel GAC into the lead at 19-18 but things would be deadlocked over the next two minutes. Bethel would finally break this tie when Schwarz connected with a lay-up with 4:40 left that drew a foul and the ensuing "and one" gave the Royals a 25-22 advantage. The Gusties, however, would go into a drought down the stretch which gave Bethel a chance to grow that lead which they did to the tune of 29-22 into the locker room at the half.
GAC's offensive woes would continue into the third period as the Royals slowly but surely built their lead. Schwarz would add a couple of lay-ups early on and Pearson would find the range again with a "3" at the 8:21 mark to make it a 36-22 ballgame. Pearson would strike again from downtown at the 5:50 mark and Schwarz connected with yet another score in the paint with 4:57 left to give Bethel its largest lead at 43-27, GAC did indeed appeared buried. But this resourceful Gustie team found it within themselves to mount a comeback. Two quick scores by freshman guard Emma Kniefel and a lay-up by Rorman with 3:33 left had the deficit down to ten at 43-33 and two Rorman freebies with 1:16 left in the third period and one more by freshman forward Izzy Quick with :34 left had GAC feeling infinitely better about itself going into the fourth period back in single-digit range again down 44-36. The Gusties would keep chipping away at this deficit and a Rorman lay-up at the 8:56 mark now had the deficit cut to six at 46-40. A Rice lay-up at the 8:39 mark had the deficit down to four at 46-42 and although Bethel's Pearson would come to her team's rescue with a three-point bomb at the 8:25 mark, GAC was far from finished. Senior point guard Ava Gonsorowski and Rorman would help get the Gusties close again and free throws by senior Gabby Bowlin - one at the 6:02 mark and another at the 5:24 mark - suddenly had GAC back within a single possession down 51-48. The Royals would stretch their cushion back to six points with 4:12 left but again the Gusties would battle back. Two free throws by freshman guard Riley Queensland with 2:40 left had GAC back withing a single possession again down 56-54 and a Kniefel lay-up with 2:02 left now had the deficit down to a scant point at 57-56 and there was every reason to believe that the Gusties could complete this miracle comeback attempt. But at the crucial moments in the home stretch, GAC would come up short. Bowlin would connect with a lay-up to again cut it to one point at 59-58 but a last-ditch three-point attempt by Gonsorowski would miss its mark as the Royals escaped with the win.
Bethel's two seniors - Schwarz and Pearson - made good in their final home game at Robertson Center as Schwarz's 20 points led all scorers and Pearson wasn't far behind with her 17 points. Sophomore guard Kat Brown-Erdal also had a good outing finishing with 11 points. Rorman again would pace the Gusties on this night with her 15 points while Gonsorowski talled 10 points. Rorman had to shoulder a heavy load on this night due to the fact that GAC was without the services of two of its post players - senior Paige Richert (concussion protocol) and junior Betsy Schoenrock (undisclosed). Despite that, the Gusties still had a 35-32 edge on the boards but the Bethel defense forced a bad shooting night for the Gusties from both FG and downtown. Somewhat ironically, Bethel survived a horrid night from the charity stripe; going 11-21 for 52.4% and though the Royals got away with it this time around, they won't be able to make a living doing that night in and night out.
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