Mount Vernon, OH --- Looking for their first Crossroads League road win of the year, the Bethel University women's basketball team traveled to Mount Vernon Nazarene University to face the Cougars.

The Pilots came out sharp in the first quarter, led by Mariah Claywell's six points, and grabbed a 15-14 lead. That margin would bump to six points at the intermission, with Bethel in front 31-25. The lead swelled to 18 points for the visitors with 3:27 left in the 3rd quarter when Maiah Shelton's trifecta made it 48-30. Bethel still led by seventeen, 50-33, with 1:06 remaining in the 3rd, but things got ugly for the Pilots.

Bethel would not score again until the 1:56 mark of the fourth quarter, and the 9-minute, 44-second scoreless drought triggered a 21-0 spurt for MVNU. The Cougars grabbed the lead with 2:48 remaining and held on for the win.

Bethel made just 2 of 10 shots in the final stanza and committed eight turnovers in the final quarter collapse.

Abby Williams continues her stretch of impressive play, scoring 13 points and snatching 10 caroms, while Mariah Claywell added 10 points in support. Bethel outrebounded their hosts 38-31 but connected on just 3 of 13 from behind the arc for the game.

The loss drops Bethel's overall record to 6-18 and 1-12 in the Crossroads League. Bethel will next see action when they host Marian University on Wednesday, February 14, at 5:30 pm at the Wiekamp Athletic Center.

NEXT TIME OUT

The Pilots host NAIA #2 Marian (Ind.) on Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 5:30 p.m. in the Weikamp Athletic Center.

For the latest information on each of Bethel University's 31 intercollegiate athletic teams, visit BUPilots.com or follow the Pilots on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @BUPilots or YouTube at /BethelSportsNetwork.