North Newton, Kan. — Bethel women's basketball battled throughout Wednesday night's home matchup, but Sterling's efficient scoring and timely runs proved too much as the Threshers came up short in a 79–70 loss inside Thresher Gym.
Bethel opened strong, taking a 19–18 lead after the first quarter behind confident offense from Kendall Locke, who knocked down early jumpers and controlled tempo in transition. Sterling responded with a big second quarter, outscoring the Threshers 23–14 to swing momentum and take a halftime lead.
In the second half, Bethel made multiple pushes but couldn't fully close the gap. Sterling shot 48.3% from the field and paired that with a 37–32 edge on the glass, creating second-chance opportunities and minimizing Bethel's scoring bursts. The Warriors also generated steady paint production, finishing with a 55–48 advantage inside.
Bethel's Top Performers
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Kendall Locke led the Threshers with 20 points, going 7-for-15 from the field, hitting two threes, and adding six rebounds.
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Madyson McKinzie scored 14 points and pulled down seven rebounds, providing consistent interior scoring.
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Emersyn Eischen turned in one of the night's strongest all-around performances with 8 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals in 38 minutes.
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Karlee Locke added 6 points and 3 assists, while Caryn Yoder, Farah Shehab, and Amelia Bourm combined to give Bethel solid bench production, totaling 14 points among the reserves.
Bethel's bench outscored Sterling 16–3, helping the Threshers stay competitive in the second half.
Final Score
Sterling 79, Bethel 70
Bethel now sits at 5–5 overall and 3–3 in KCAC play. The Threshers hit the road next, traveling to Oklahoma Wesleyan for a 1:00 PM tipoff on Saturday in Bartlesville.
