Box Score Box score
Less than a week ago the Vikings of Bethany Lutheran College visited Duluth and led from start to finish in their seven point Upper Midwest Athletic Conference win over the host Saints.
On Friday night in Mankato, the Saints (7-11, 3-5 UMAC) returned the favor, winning 67-52 with a second half spurt over the final nine minutes in which they outscored their hosts 23-10.
After one early Bethany lead in the first half, the Saints ran out to a 17 point lead once but settled for a 31-21 lead as the teams went into the break.
Second halfs have not been kind to the Saints recently and this one was no better as the Vikings came out of the locker room and reeled off a 12-0 run that put them back in the lead.
The lead changed hands three times and was tied three other instances over the next seven minutes but Alexa Leighton (Superior, Wis./Superior HS)'s jumper with 8:50 on the clock gave the Saints a 44-42 lead, one they wouldn't relinquish as they commenced on their own 23 to 10 run to close out the game and the win.
St. Scholastica's Whitney Latham (Clear Lake, Minn./Becker HS), in her first action back after sitting out several games with an injury, was the game's leading scorer with 18 points. Also reaching double-figures in scoring for the Saints were Kirsten Haukom (Marshall, Minn./Marshall HS) (15), Leighton (11), and Ashley Lubbers (Little Falls, Minn./Little Falls Community HS) (10).
Eva Voss led the Vikings (9-8 4-4) in their losing effort with a double-double, scoring 15 points and recording 10 rebounds.
From the floor the Saints had one of their better nights of the season, hitting 48 percent for the game. Bethany shot a dismal 19 percent in the opening half and only 32 percent in the second for a paltry 26 percent for the game.
Next up for St. Scholastica is a date with Martin Luther College on Saturday afternoon.
