GOSHEN, Ind. –The Bethel Pilots (10-10, 3-7) overcame the Goshen College Maple Leafs (9-10, 3-7) on Saturday in the Ruth Gunden Gymnasium 67-62 in the US Highway 20 Cup win. The Pilots are now ranked seventh in the Crossroads League.
Mariah Claywell scored 18 points for the Pilots, a new high for her this season. She also had five rebounds and shot 60% from the floor (9-15).
Olivia Nickerson posted 15 points for the Pilots, shooting 5-8 from the field (62.5%) and 3-5 (60%) from downtown.
Gracie Lambes also hit double digits this afternoon, scoring 11 points to match her jersey number. Isabel Scales led the team in rebounds (7).
To start the first quarter, the Pilots had a 4-0 lead thanks to a free throw by Jazmyn Smith (9:07) and a jumper from Mariah Claywell (7:32).
At 2:38, Ellia Foster nailed a jumper to bring the Pilots’ score 9-6. Goshen pushed back to end the first quarter tied at 12-12.
The back-and-forth basket battle continued in the second quarter, with the score tied 14-14 at 8:31 after Claywell scored two points. Gracie Lambes made her first basket of the game at 6:40.
The Pilots gained momentum in the latter half of the second. Olivia Nickerson kickstarted an eight-point run for Bethel with a jumper at 3:48. Justyce Williams scored two points for the Pilots at 2:16. Bethel ended the first half up 28-23.
The Maple Leafs challenged the pilots at the beginning of the third, scoring eight points quickly. Claywell shut down the Goshen run at 8:05 with a jump shot.
Faith Davis retied the score at 39-39 with a shot behind the arc (5:18). With thirty seconds left on the clock, Ellia Foster hit a three-pointer and brought the Pilots’ score 48-47.
In the fourth quarter, Jazmyn Smith put the first Pilot points on the board with a jump shot at 8:08. Bethel regained a lead at 7:21, thanks to a shot behind the arc from Ellia Foster.
Lambes secured the Pilot win, knocking down a pair at the charity stripe at 0:40. The Pilots won 67-62 over rival Goshen College.
The Pilots continue the Crossroads League season on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 5:30 p.m. The Pilots will face the Huntington University Foresters in Gates Gymnasium.