SOUTHFIELD, Mich. --- It was a challenging game against the NAIA third-ranked Lawrence Tech Blue Devils (7-1, 3-0), who played their first non-ranked opponent in the Bethel Pilots (6-6, 2-3) on Friday in a 22-10 Blue Devil victory.

Isabell Gerbrand, a standout player, netted three goals and one assist against LTU, winning six draw controls for the Pilots. Brea Larrison, another key player, scored three goals with an assist and seven draw controls to lead the Pilots. 

The game started with a 3-1 LTU run, including a Blue Devil goal man-up at 11:31 in the first quarter, but Serenity Kretschmer brought the Pilots within one goal, 3-2 LTU.

Bethel had a one-two punch: Gerbrand scored man-up, assisted by Mackenzie Holland, to end the first quarter, and Lydia Andrews scored unassisted at 12:55 in the second to tie the game 5-5.

The Blue Devils made a 6-0 uncontested run to double the lead 16-8 at 46 seconds to go in the third, but Bethel battled back with a Gerbrand goal at 11:54 in the fourth, 16-9. Then Brea Larrison flung the Pilots' 10th goal at 9:44 to get within 17-10. Lawrence Tech scored five uncontested goals to end the game 22-10.

Turnovers hurt the Pilots 22-11, and in ground balls 21-8, Samantha Swope saved 10 shots of the 37 LTU threw.

Bethel is now 0-3 against ranked opponents this year and 0-2 against NAIA top 10 teams. In the WHAC standings, Bethel is sixth at 2-3 and five games behind the conference leader, Marian (Ind.), at 4-0 in WHAC play. Today, the Pilots are in the WHAC playoff picture with Concordia (Mich.) one game behind at 1-3.

NEXT TIME OUT

The Pilots return home to Morey Field on Wednesday, April 3, at 5 p.m. against the fourth-place Siena Heights Saints (5-4, 2-1), whose only conference loss was to the Marian Knights 12-4 in Indianapolis.

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.