ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Bella Thomas (Fy./Minneapolis, Minn./DeLaSalle) tallied a career-best 10 points, but the No. 6 seeded Carleton College women's basketball team was knocked out of the MIAC Playoffs after a 71-59 loss in the quarterfinals at No. 3 seed Bethel University.
 
This concluded Carleton's (13-14, 11-11 MIAC) most successful season since the 2007-08 campaign. Beginning with a victory over regular-season champion Augsburg University on Jan. 29, the Knights won 8-of their last-10 games this year. Unfortunately, both losses came at Bethel (19-7, 17-5 MIAC)… first a 67-63 setback in the regular-season finale last Wednesday and now tonight's contest.
 
"Getting off to a slow start is not helpful against a good Bethel team," said Carleton head coach Tammy Matcalf-Filzen. "We fought back hard and made a game of it, but it was just too much of a hole to dig out of. I could not be prouder of the grit and determination this team has shown all season long as they fought through injuries and COVID. Finishing 8-2 in our final 10 games provides a spring board into next season. As we close the season, many thanks and congratulations to Jill Yanai on her outstanding career at Carleton."
 
Carleton came up with  season-best 20 steals in the game, the fifth-highest figure in recorded team history. Jasmine Choi (So./Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo) led the way with a season high-tying seven thefts, while Aiana Whitfield (Jr./Richfield, Minn./Benilde St.-Margaret's) swiped the ball four times. Jill Yanai (Sr./Glendale, Calif./Glendale) took the ball away three times, and sisters Emma Henry (So./Prior Lake, Minn./Academy of Holy Angels) and Isabelle Henry (So./Prior Lake, Minn./Academy of Holy Angels) had two steals apiece.
 
Playing without forward Margie Clauss (So./Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn), who suffered a season-ending injury during the previous game against the Royals, the Knights were unable to contain Bethel's strong interior game as the hosts shot at least 50 percent in each half and finished with 50 points in the paint.
 
Carleton led 6-4 after Yanai scored with 6:32 left in the first quarter. Bethel answered with an 11-0 run that sparked a longer 34-11 stretch spanning nearly 15 minutes of game time.
 
The Royals carried a 41-19 lead in intermission. The Knights faced a double-digit deficit throughout the second half despite outscoring Bethel 40-30 over the final 20 minutes.
 
Yanai, the lone senior on the roster, finished with 12 points, six rebounds, and three assists in her final game for the Knights. Choi added six rebounds along with a team-high 15 points. Thomas went 4-for-5 from the field and added a pair of free throws for her 10 points in 13 minutes of action off the bench.
 
Kat Brown-Erdal scored a game-high 17 points off the bench to pace Bethel. Courtney Nuest and Hayden Glander added 14 points apiece. The Royals advance to face No. 2 seed Gustavus Adolphus College in the MIAC Playoffs semifinal on Friday evening.