MILWAUKEE (WLCSports.com) - Bethany Lutheran shot 53.5 percent from the floor and had five players score in double figures as the visiting Vikings dealt Wisconsin Lutheran College its first loss of the season on Saturday, 95-78, at the Time of Grace Center.
A back-and-forth first half between the Warriors (1-1) and Vikings (2-0) featured 13 lead changes and five ties. WLC held a pair of four-point leads throughout the opening half, including 27-23 after a jumper from junior
Grayson Goetz (Aurora, Ill.) at the 8:20 mark.
A three from Goetz brought Wisconsin Lutheran within 40-39 after BLC had built a lead of five points with 2:18 left in the half. Bethany Lutheran closed out the opening 20 minutes of play on a 10-2 scoring run to take a 50-42 lead into halftime.
The Warriors came within seven points early in the second half on a three from junior
Jacob Stoltz (Kewaskum, Wis.). WLC trailed by 10 with 15:56 left in the game, before the Vikings rattled off a 9-0 run to take a 71-52 lead with 13:36 remaining.
BLC's lead never dipped below 14 points the rest of the game and reached as high as 21 on three occasions.
Stoltz led Wisconsin Lutheran with 25 points, while Goetz and junior
Ryan Broeckel (Chilton, Wis.) added 13 and 12 points, respectively. Broeckel and junior
AJ Vos (Lombard, Ill.) grabbed eight rebounds apiece. The Warriors were held to 38.2 percent shooting and were out-scored 25-8 in fast break points.
Hunter Nielsen tallied a double-double of 26 points and 10 rebounds to pace five players in double figures for Bethany Lutheran, which shot 53.5 percent from the floor.
WLC travels to Jacksonville, Illinois next weekend for the Bill Merris Tournament hosted by Illinois College. Wisconsin Lutheran will face Anderson (2-1) on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and either Blackburn or the host Blueboys on Saturday. Live coverage links for both games will be available at WLCSports.com.
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