Box Score DULUTH, Minn. – The St. Scholastica women's basketball team honored two senior players and used a quick start to oust Bethany Lutheran by a score of 65-50 Saturday afternoon at the Reif Gymnasium.  With the victory, the Saints clinched an Upper Midwest Athletic Conference playoff birth.

The game opened with the Vikings scoring two baskets to take a 5-4 lead with just over a minute gone in the contest.  The Saints would eventually take the lead for good only a minute later with a lay-up by Mariah Hovick (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake HS).  The Saints were able to extend the lead to 13 points to close out the half, leading 36-23.

The second half was much of the same as the Vikings were only able to get as close at eight points, but multiple fast break opportunities allowed the Saints to put the game away and the Saints were able to capture a spot in the UMAC playoffs, winning 65-50.

Bethany Lutheran (6-17, 5-7 UMAC) was led by Jessica Englund with 18 points and 17 rebounds.  Kelsie Ammann also added 17 points as well.  The Vikings finished the game shooting 23-percent from the field, 29-percent from beyond the arc, and 47-percent from the free throw line.

The Vikings would collect 50 rebounds and commit 19 turnovers.  The largest lead the Vikings would have was three points.

St. Scholastica was led by Mariah Hovick (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake HS) who scored 17 points.  Erin Frase (Phillips, Wis./Phillips HS (UW-River Falls)) added 11 points while senior Taylor Fellbaum (Minong, Wis./Northwood HS) added eight points.  Senior Laura Amys (South Range, Wis./Superior HS) would score nine points and grab nine rebounds. 

The Saints would finish the game shooting 44-percent from the field, 33-percent from beyond the arc, and 65-percent from the charity stripe.  The Saints would grab 44 total rebounds and commit 21 turnovers.

The Saints (11-12, 9-3 UMAC) will travel to Minnesota-Morris next Friday with tip time scheduled for 5:30 pm local time.  Check csssaints.com for score updates of that game.