NORTH NEWTON, Kan.—The Bethel College women's basketball team put together a gritty performance on Thursday night but fell just short in a 68-66 loss to Friends University in the KCAC Quarterfinals, ending their season with an impressive 16-13 overall record and a 15-7 conference mark.

The Threshers made a massive leap this season, improving from an 8th-place finish last year to securing the 4th seed.

How It Happened

The first half saw Bethel taking advantage of Friends' defensive approach, as Madyson McKinzie and Elena Jugovic knocked down key mid-range jumpers with the Falcons' bigs sagging off. Bethel led 19-15 after the first quarter and extended that lead to 41-31 by halftime, shooting 55.9% from the field in the opening two quarters.

Friends slowly chipped away in the second half, cutting Bethel's lead to 53-51 by the end of the third quarter. The Threshers ran into foul trouble late, as Natalie Richards fouled out with five minutes left, forcing Bethel to adjust in the closing moments.

With just over a minute to play, Carley Robb came up clutch, drilling a deep three-pointer to cut Friends' lead to one at 67-66. Robb had one of her best performances of the season, finishing with 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including five three-pointers.

Despite Bethel's late push, Friends was able to hold on in the final seconds.

Inside the Numbers

• Bethel shot 46.0% from the field and 35.7% from three-point range.
• Robb led the Threshers with 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting from deep.
• Kendall Locke recorded an incredible 13 assists.
• McKinzie and Jugovic each contributed 10 points, with McKinzie also grabbing 2 rebounds.

Looking Ahead

While Bethel's season comes to a close, the program took a major step forward in 2024-25, climbing from 8th place last season to finishing 4th in the KCAC and securing a home playoff game.