ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College women's basketball team opened its MIAC schedule with a 77-52 defeat to Bethel University Monday night in the Leonard Center. The Scots are now 1-6 on the season, while the Royals improve to 2-1.

Bethel started the game with an 11-2 run over the first three minutes. Baskets by sophomore forward Samantha Smith (Piedmont, Calif./Piedmont) and junior guard Sydnee Smith (Gainesville, Va./Patriot) made it a five-point game, 11-6 before the Royals closed out the first quarter with a 9-4 run to lead, 20-10. Bethel extended its lead to as many as 15 points, but first year guard Faith Accardo (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Oaks Christian) hit a three-pointer to spark a 9-2 Scots run that made the halftime score 37-29 Royals. Junior guard Mary Daley (Cumberland, R.I./Bishop Feehan), senior forward Ellie Corbett (Austin, Texas/James Bowie) and sophomore forward Cady Davis (Minneapolis, Minn./Roosevelt) also scored in the run to end the first half. Macalester shot 53.3 percent from the field and outscored the Royals, 19-17 in the second quarter.

Early in the third quarter, baskets by Sydnee Smith and first year guard Megan Matthews (Boulder, Colo./Boulder), plus two free throws from Matthews, brought the Scots to within six, 41-35 with 5:16 on the clock. But Bethel, who received votes in the latest NCAA Division III top 25 poll, reeled off a 9-2 run to finish the third quarter and take a 50-37 advantage into the final quarter.

Macalester did not concede, as Sydnee Smith made a pair of baskets and Corbett hit a layup that cut the deficit to seven, 50-43 with 8:31 remaining. Again the Royals responded, forcing three Scots turnovers in a 14-2 run that put the game out of reach, 64-45 with 4:31 to play. Bethel outscored Macalester, 27-15 in the final quarter and extended its winning streak over the Scots to 25 games.

Sydnee Smith led the Scots with a career-high 17 points to go with eight rebounds and two steals. Accardo finished with 10 points, while Daley registered eight points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals. Elly Schmitz scored 26 points to lead all players.

Macalester continues conference play with a road game at Hamline University on Saturday, Dec. 6. The game is scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m. in St. Paul.