MARIETTA, Ga. ---- The Life University women's basketball team was unable to find its first Mid-South Conference win Saturday afternoon as the team dropped a 69-59 game to Bethel at home.
 
NOTES
• Life U falls to 2-10 (0-10) on the year following the loss, while Bethel improves to 11-11 (6-9).
 
STANDOUT PERFORMERS 
 • Sydni Tears continued to lead the Running Eagles as the senior earned the double-double with 32 points and 10 rebounds with a pair of assists. Tears is currently second in the NAIA among active players in points per game with 24.6.
• Skyler Hatfield also finished in double figures for the Running Eagles with 11 points.

HOW IT HAPPENED 
• Both teams battled in the early moments of the first quarter, however a stall in the Life U offense allowed Bethel to garner a nine-point lead, 14-5 with 4:23 on the clock. Life U responded with a 6-0 run all from Tears to cut the lead to three, 14-11. Hatfield snuck in a three with 29 seconds on the clock as Life U ended the first trailing by one, 18-17.
• A classic three-point play was converted by Tears 1:06 into the second quarter to tie the game at 20. Both teams exchanged threes to lock the score again at 23. A 7-0 Wildcat run gave Bethel a 30-23 advantage with 3:16 remaining in the half. Tears connected on a pair of free-throws late in the quarter as Life U trailed 32-27 at the break.
• Bethel came out hot in the third quarter extending its lead to 10, 42-32, with 2:26 in the quarter. Life U cut the lead to a two-possession game with a free-throw from Lee but a layup at the buzzer gave Bethel a 44-38 lead heading to the fourth.
• Tears continued the offensive pressure as a pair of free-throws late in the fourth quarter cut the Bethel lead to two, 55-53 with 2:28 on the clock. The game was won at the free-throw line by the Wildcats as they finished 19-for-22 at the charity stripe in the fourth quarter alone to earn the 69-59 victory.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Life U finished 20-for-59 from the field, 33.9%, while Bethel shot 21-for-68, 30.9%.
• Life U shot 5-for-23, 21.7%, from beyond the arc and 14-for-19, 73.7%, from the free-throw line. The Wildcats finished 4-for-29, 13.8%, from distance and 23-for-30, 76.7%, from the free-throw line.
• Bethel led Life U in rebounds 55-41. Both teams had similar numbers in the paint as Bethel tallied 26 to the 24 from Life U.
 
UP NEXT 
• The women's basketball team will return to action on Monday, February 8, as they continue Mid-South Conference play and travel to Pulaski, Tenn. to face Martin Methodist College at 5:30 PM.