Box Score MANKATO, Minn. – Bethany Lutheran erased a six-point halftime deficit to earn its second consecutive Upper Midwest Athletic Conference championship over the UW-Superior women's basketball team, 64-58, at North Gym Saturday.
 
Hanna Geistfeld scored a game-high 20 points – including 13 in the second half – and grabbed 11 rebounds, helping the Vikings overcome a 30-24 UWS lead at halftime and secure the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III tournament next week. 
 
For the second consecutive game, the Yellowjackets were led by senior Mackenzie Kmecik (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) with 14 points on 6-for-13 shooting. Classmate Emily Carpenter (St. Peter, Minn./St. Peter) added 11 points, two assists and two steals against the Vikings, who swept the season series versus Superior, 3-0, for the first time since UWS joined the conference for the 2015-16 season.
 
Tight throughout, the game featured eight tie scores and seven lead changes. The 'Jackets held their largest advantage of the game at 35-26 with 6:33 to play in the third quarter when Ellie Leadstrom (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) finished a three-point play following a layup and Geistfeld foul. From there, Bethany Lutheran (23-3) began to find its way back. Kenlie Pytleski and Geistfeld scored two quick baskets before a Kmecik jumper with 4:44 remaining in the quarter made it 37-30. 
 
The Vikings then reeled off seven straight points for a 37-37 tie, punctuated by a Geistfeld three-point play with 2:28 left in the period. The teams traded buckets to send the game into the fourth quarter at 41-all.
 
Carpenter broke a 45-45 deadlock with a 3-pointer with 8:19 on the clock, but the lead was soon erased with three consecutive points by Pytleski. Mady Sanders (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial) rebounded a Laura Ellinghuysen miss with 5:44 left and hit a jumper on the other end of the floor for a 50-48 edge before BLC rallied for five straight points and a 53-50 lead.
 
Eva Reinertsen (Duluth, Minn./Homeschooled) dropped in a layup with 3:51 remaining and was fouled, cutting the deficit to 53-52. She missed the ensuing free throw, which Geistfeld rebounded and hit a layup of her own for a 55-52 lead. Kmecik hit a free throw to make it a 55-53 game with 3:14 to play, but that was as close as the 'Jackets got the rest of the way, as BLC went 6-for-7 from the line down the stretch to secure the victory.
 
Seniors Reinertsen and Marissa Ruiz (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley) each scored nine points for UWS. Reinertsen also chipped in six assists. 
 
The game marked the final collegiate outing for Carpenter, Kmecik, Reinertsen and Ruiz. Three four-year players, the group helped UWS to an 88-22 (.800) overall record with two UMAC titles and trips to the NCAA tournament.
 
UWS finishes the 2019-20 season 18-9 overall.