Lady Spires Fall Short Against Bethel in KCAC Clash

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. - The University of Saint Mary women's basketball team fought valiantly but came up short on the road against Bethel College, falling 77-67 in a hard-fought KCAC matchup.

Bethel jumped out to an early lead, outscoring the Spires 20-9 in the first quarter, capitalizing on Saint Mary's cold shooting start. The Spires found their footing in the second quarter, thanks to contributions from Addison Schletzbaum and Alanis Delgado, but Bethel maintained a 46-28 advantage heading into halftime.

Saint Mary refused to back down, opening the second half with a spirited effort. The Spires clawed their way back into the game, outscoring Bethel 20-12 in the third quarter, fueled by strong play in the paint and second-chance opportunities. Katelynn Ostronic and Jaylee Levario led the charge with aggressive rebounding and timely scoring, helping Saint Mary cut the deficit to single digits.

In the final frame, the Spires continued to battle, but Bethel's consistency at the free-throw line and key defensive stops preserved their lead. Despite a valiant effort from Saint Mary's reserves, who contributed 31 points, Bethel's ability to control the tempo and capitalize on turnovers proved decisive.

Addison Schletzbaum led the Spires with 12 points and eight rebounds, while Jaylee Levario added 10 points off the bench. Bethel's balanced attack, highlighted by a 15-7 advantage in assists, kept the Spires at bay.

Saint Mary outperformed Bethel in second-chance points (16-8) and points in the paint (44-38), but turnovers and an early scoring drought were too much to overcome.

Up Next:

The Spires are now 7-9 overall and currently 6-3 in conference play. They will look to bounce back in their next KCAC matchup on the road next Wednesday, January 15th at 6PM against York.