ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict basketball team was consistent for three quarters, but one off quarter was all Bethel needed.
 
CSB scored 16 points in the first, third and fourth quarters Saturday evening while holding the 13^th-ranked Royals under 20 points in each quarter but one. The Bennies' second quarter, however, gave Bethel a big halftime lead and the Royals held on to win 69-53 in Claire Lynch Hall.
 
In the first quarter, Hannah Johnson scored and Maddie Schmitz scored twice to put CSB up 6-2 against Bethel (15-0, 10-0). The score was tied at 10, and a three from McKenzie Holgate gave the Bennies a 13-10 lead with 4:58 left in the first. Back-to-back layups gave Bethel its biggest lead of the game at three points, and after Sidney Schiffler hit a pair of free throws the Royals ended the quarter on a 5-1 run to take a 21-16 lead into the second.
 
After shooting 45 percent from the field in the first quarter, CSB couldn't find the hoop in the second. The Bennies made a single field goal – a layup from Megan Thompson at the 6:53 mark – and hit free throws as they were outscored 19-5 by Bethel. The Royals took a 40-21 lead into halftime.
 
Schiffler scored early to get the field-goal monkey off the team's back, but the Royals pushed their lead to 21 for the first time with just under seven minutes left in the third quarter. A three-point play late in the third from Schmitz got CSB within 17 points, 54-17, but a late basket kept Bethel up 56-37 heading into the final quarter.
 
CSB outscored the Royals 16-13 in the fourth quarter, but also committed seven of its 26 turnovers in that same quarter. A three from Haylee Fingalsen cut into Bethel's lead with three minutes left to play, and Madison Doran and Kendyl Thompson both scored late to cut the Royals' lead to 16 to end the game.
 
Schiffler scored a team-high 13 points for CSB, which shot 39 percent from the field. Schmitz added 10 points, Holgate had nine and Schmitz and Alex Johnson both had seven rebounds. The Bennies went 14-for-20 from the line and had 31 rebounds.
 
Taite Anderson led all scorers with 20 points for Bethel, and she also had five rebounds. Haylee Barker added 10 points, five assists and three steals. The Royals shot 52.8 percent from the field, went 9-for-13 from the line and had 26 rebounds and 18 turnovers.
 
CSB is back at home Monday, Jan. 20, when it hosts Saint Mary's in a makeup game from November. That game is part of a stretch where CSB plays three games in five days.