MANKATO, Minn. – The Carleton College women's basketball team dropped its season opener at Bethany Lutheran College, 83-65. This marked the Knights' first game since the finale to the 2022-23 campaign. Last year, Carleton was forced to cancel its season after pre-season injuries decimated the roster.
 
"Despite tonight's outcome, we are excited to be back and playing this season," said Carleton head coach Tammy Metcalf-Filzen. "I am very proud of the efforts of the returning players who practiced through last season and the new players who have stepped in and worked hard. Together we expect to get better every game, and we are excited to see where that hard work takes us this season."
 
Of the nine players to see game action on Saturday, only three Knights had played a college game before: seniors Bella Thomas and Selma Vangstein along with junior Liz Hiatt.
 
Newcomer Addy Huss paced Carleton with 13 points, while fellow rookie Audrey Whitney contributed 10 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Vangstein was the third Knight in double figures, finishing with a career-high 11 points.
 
Five players reached double-digit scoring for Bethany Lutheran (1-0), which shot 42.4 percent overall despite a 5-of-24 (20.8 percent) showing from beyond the arc. Gianna Klarenbeek poured in a game-high 18 points, while Kenadi Arndt added a double-double with 14 points and 10 boards.
 
Carleton got off to a slow start and faced a 20-11 deficit with barely a minute remaining in the opening quarter. The Knights answered with a 16-3 run, a spurt highlighted by triples by Whitney and Liz Hiatt along with six points for Vangstein.
 
Bethany Lutheran recovered and closed the first half with a 12-2 run of its own and carried a 35-29 lead into intermission.
 
The Vikings stayed hot after the break, putting together a 21-7 spurt that widened the advantage to 20 points at 56-36 with three minutes remaining in the third quarter. They scored 28 points in the period and maintained at least a 16-point advantage the rest of the way.
 
Carleton shot 35.5 percent overall, including a 5-of-18 performance from long range.
 
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton returns home to host University of Wisconsin-Superior at 7:00 P.M. on Wednesday, Nov. 13.