Wichita, Kan. – Bethel Women's Basketball went toe-to-toe with one of the KCAC's top teams on Wednesday night, but a late Falcon surge handed the Threshers a hard-fought 70–65 loss on the road. Bethel showed toughness and resilience all evening, overcoming multiple deficits and making a strong fourth-quarter push before Friends closed the game at the free-throw line.
Bethel (5–3, 3–1 KCAC) hammered the offensive glass, 21 second-chance points, and received major contributions from several players, including Kendall Locke, Caryn Yoder, Madyson McKinzie, and Farah Shehab.
First Half – Tight Battle Throughout
The opening quarter ended even at 18–18, with Bethel getting a pair of threes from Farah Shehab and productive inside scoring from Kendall Locke and Madyson McKinzie. Friends made a late second-quarter push to take a 33–31 lead into halftime, but Bethel stayed within a possession thanks to its rebounding and hustle plays.
Third Quarter – Momentum Swings Both Ways
Bethel briefly grabbed the lead early in the third after buckets from Emersyn Eischen, Yoder, and McKinzie. With 7:24 left in the quarter, the Threshers were in front 37–35 and controlling the tempo.
Friends then countered with a run of their own, building a 51–43 advantage entering the fourth.
Fourth Quarter – Threshers Rally Late
Bethel delivered its best stretch of the night in the final frame. A combination of toughness, execution, and shot-making brought the Threshers roaring back. With just over three minutes left, Bethel had stormed back to cut the Friends lead to 59–58.
But the Falcons responded with two critical three-pointers from Katie Weiss, temporarily halting Bethel's momentum. Still, the Threshers kept fighting. Yoder scored with 12 seconds remaining to make it 69–65 before Friends hit free throws to close out the five-point win.
Top Performers – Bethel
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Kendall Locke: 16 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals
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Caryn Yoder: 13 points, 5 rebounds
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Madyson McKinzie: 12 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists
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Karlee Locke: 5 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
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Emersyn Eischen: 8 points, 5 rebounds
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Farah Shehab: 9 points, including key momentum-building shots
Team Highlights
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Outscored Friends 21–11 in second-chance points
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Forced 15 turnovers while committing only 11
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Held Friends under 30% from three
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Scored 22 points in the fourth, their highest-scoring quarter
Next Up
Bethel continues road play this weekend in Springfield.
Saturday at Evangel – 2:00 PM
