MISHAWAKA, Ind. –The Lady Pilots (8-9, 2-6) suffered a tough loss to the Spring Arbor Cougars (12-6, 5-3), 75-53, despite an impressive first half.
Isabel Scales posted 18 points for the Pilots, shooting 62.5% (5-8) from the field. In doing so, Scales hit her season-high for points scored in a single game (12 against Huntington on Nov. 23, 2024). She also recorded five rebounds for the Pilots.
Gracie Lambes shot 66.7% from the floor, posting seven points for the Pilots. Additionally, Lambes had her first turnover of the game at 5:48 in the second quarter and another at 1:30 in the third.
Caroline Morris contributed four rebounds for Bethel. Morris also had an assist-to-turnover ratio of 4:1, setting her new season high for turnovers per game.
The Pilots started aggressively in the first quarter, battling point for point with the solid Cougar offense. Morris posted a layup in the paint at 8:46 to put the Pilots on the board. Olivia Nickerson downed a three-pointer at 5:56 to tie the score 8-8.
To end the quarter, Mariah Claywell nailed a jump shot with just one second left on the clock. After the first, the Pilots trailed 21-20.
The Pilots’ defense struggled at the onset of the second quarter, as the Cougars owned the first four points. Justyce Williams posted a layup at 6:18 to bring the Pilots’ score to 22-25.
Ellia Foster and Isabel Scales followed suit with layups at 3:38 and 3:08, respectively. The Pilots concluded the first half down 34-30.
The Pilots lost momentum in the second half as the Cougars coasted through an 11-point run at the beginning of the third. Kallie Harrison nailed a layup at 3:55, her first basket of the game.
Despite Bethel’s four-point run in the fourth quarter, thanks to Scales’ work at the charity stripe (4:31) and Lambes’ layup and free throw (3:58), the Pilot offense could not recover.
The Pilots continue the Crossroads League season on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 1:00 p.m. on the road at Odle Arena, where the Pilots will face the Taylor University Trojans.