Jade Vlotho scored a game-high 19 points and Malarie Gilley followed with 17 points and 17 rebounds to help lead Buena Vista past Bethel University in a non-conference game inside of Siebens Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon, 78-69.

Vlotho scored 11 of her 19 at the free-throw line where BVU made nine more than the Royals attempted in the game.  Gilley finished the game shooting 7-of-19 from the field and was one point shy of capturing the double-double by halftime.  Susan Kies (12) and Lexi Fisher (11) were also in double-figures for the Beavers, who handed the Royals (6-1) their first loss of the year.

As a team, BVU shot just 36.2 percent from the field in the contest, but did alot of its work at the charity stripe, making 33-of-43 attempts (76.7 percent), while  Bethel made just 16-of-24 (66.7 percent).

BVU did hold a slight edge on the boards (30-28).

The Beavers jumped out to an early 15-1 lead and was able to virtually maintain that margin for most of the contest.  Bethel went nearly 6:30 to start the game before making its first field goal, as it shot just 8-of-28 from the field in the half.

The Royals got no closer than eight in the opening half and trailed 38-23 with under 2:00 left in the half, as the Beavers took a 41-27 lead into halftime.

Bethel got back within eight three minutes into the second half and the lead hovered around 10 points for BVU for most of the second half.  The Royals got as close as 63-56 with 5:50 remaining in regulation, but BVU responded with a run to put the Beavers back in front 71-60 with 4:00 to play.

The Royals, however, scored five straight points to make it a 71-65 game with 1:28 left, and a big offensive rebound by Alex Lynott off a missed free-throw allowed BVU to maintain possession, and from there, the Beavers connected on all six of its free-throw attempts down the stretch to hang on for the win.

This marked the first game all season for Bethel in which it had allowed a team to reach 70 points.  Hannah Niewald and Lexi Friesen each turned in 15 point to lead the Royals, offensively.

The win improves the Beavers to 6-4 on the year, and the team will now close out its non-conference schedule next Saturday when it returns to action to host Iowa Wesleyan in a 2:00pm tip-off inside of Siebens Fieldhouse.