SAINT MARY OF THE WOODS, Ind. —The Bethel Pilots (8-0, 2-0) defeated the Saint Mary-Woods Pomeroys 99-82 on Monday evening at Hamilton Arena.
Monday’s matchup was the first time in program history that the Pilots faced the Pomeroys, and the Pilots remain undefeated in their 2025 campaign.
With the win, Bethel now ranks fifth in the NAIA for field goal percentage (274-552, 49.6%) above Crossroads League opponent Mount Vernon Nazarene (sixth).
Al Peciulis posted 22 points, crushing his previous season high of 17 in a single game (Marian, Nov. 19).
Pilots Beau Jacquay (14), Luke McBride (13), Colin Comer (10), and Andrew Hedrick (11) each showcased double-digit points.
With the Pomeroys up 6-2 in the first, Peciulis sank a shot behind the arc (17:14) to narrow the deficit (6-5). The London native then nailed a layup as Bethel claimed the 7-6 lead (15:49) for the first time in the half.
Alex Ellenson showcased a shot from downtown (1:14), assisted by Beau Jacquay to put the final Bethel points on the quarter. The Pilots entered halftime ahead 45-32.
In the second half, Carter Kent posted a fastbreak layup at 11:14 to put Bethel up by 20 points (70-50).
The last point for Bethel came from Wes Ward, who went 1-2 at the charity stripe (0:49). The Pilots claimed the game 99-82.
Head Coach Steve Drabyn shared, “This was another good game on both sides of the ball. We executed defensively very well, (had) 27 assists, making 10 three’s, and getting to the line 27 times. Defensively, we did a good job forcing tough contested shots outside the paint.”
Drabyn continued, “Our bench came in and gave us great minutes. Andrew Hedrick got us going in the first half, finishing with 11 points. Alex Ellenson gave us great minutes, scoring nine points. It was also great to see our post play well: Al Peciulis with 22 points and Beau Jacquay with 14 points.”
The Pilots will next face the Taylor Trojans (5-3, 1-1) on Dec. 3 at 7 PM in the Gates Gymnasium.