ARDEN HILLS, Minn. — Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's basketball coach Brent Pollari knew his Cardinals were going to be in for a knock-down, drag-out battle when they took the court against Bethel Wednesday evening.
 
How right he was.
 
Unfortunately for the first-year head coach, when the final horn sounded, it was the Royals who were still standing, as Bethel survived Saint Mary's fourth-quarter haymakers in handing the Cardinals a 77-74 conference setback at Robertson Center.
 
The Cardinals got off to a terrible start, as Bethel scored the game's first 10 points, and boasted a commanding 20-7 advantage after the opening quarter.
 
Saint Mary's quickly showed the Royals that no lead was safe, as the Cardinals turned the tables on BU, using a 24-9 run to start the second quarter to take their first lead of the game, 31-29. Bethel would outscore Saint Mary's 8-3 down the stretch to take a three-point, 37-34 lead into the locker room at the half.
 
The third quarter looked eerily similar to the first, as Bethel pushed its lead to 11 twice—the second time at 58-47 with two minutes remaining. Saint Mary's closed the quarter on a 4-0 run and carried that momentum into the game's final 10 minutes.
 
And what a 10 minutes it was.
 
Bethel appeared to have things under control, leading by 13, 71-58, with just over two minutes remaining in regulation—but the Cardinals were not about to throw in the towel.
 
Saint Mary's scored 12 of the next 13 points to make it a two-point game, 72-70. Bethel would knock down 3 of 4 free throws to hold a 75-71 advantage with 13 seconds remaining, only to have Emma Schaefer (Roseville, Minn.) drain a 3-point to make it a one-point game, 75-74, with eight seconds remaining.
 
The Cardinals fouled BU's Angie Kirchoff on the ensuing inbounds and the Royal sophomore drained both free throws to give Bethel a three-point cushion with six seconds on the clock.
 
With time winding down, Schaefer brought the ball up court and dished off to Micaela Meredith (Bloomington, Minn.), but the senior's off-balance 3-pointer hit the front of the rim and bounced off.
 
Meredith finished with a team-high 16 points for the Cardinals, while Schaefer chipped in 15 and Sam Jones (White Bear Lake, Minn.) finished with 11. Bridgette Audette (Big Lake, Minn.) came one point short of her first collegiate double-double, netting nine points and adding a career-best 12 rebounds.
 
The Cardinals (12-3 MIAC, 18-4 overall)—who slipped out of a first-place tie with St. Thomas and into second place in the conference standings—return to the court on Saturday, hosting St. Olaf in their final regular-season home game of the season. Game time is set for 3 p.m.