MANKATO, Minn. - The Martin Luther College women's basketball team earned a hard-fought win at Bethany Lutheran College by the score of 67-63 Saturday night.

The Knights held an eight-point lead with just under five minutes to play, but the Vikings ran off nine straight points to take a 63-62 lead with just under one minute to play.

Trailing in the final minute, Grace Schultz gave the Knights the lead with 43 seconds to play with a pair of clutch free throws. Erin Schmeling extended the lead at the free throw line with two more, and Mariah Schoof iced the game with one more foul shot in the final seconds to secure the four-point win.

The Knights made five of six attempts from the free throw line in the final minute, but were outscored 27-17 at the charity stripe for the game. 

That was the only place the Knights were outscored, however, as they held BLC to 26.5 percent shooting overall, aided by an 0-19 night from behind the three-point line for the Vikings. MLC finished the game with a field goal percentage of 37.3, and made six of 14 attempts from distance.

Schmeling finished as the leading scorer for MLC with 15 points , and also grabbed six rebounds. Schultz scored 14 points, while Schoof added 13 points and three blocks.

Faith Schroeder grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds, helping the Knights finished with a 53-39 advantage on the glass in the game.

MLC improved its record to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in UMAC play with the win. BLC fell to 3-6 on the season and 1-2 in conference play in defeat.

The Knights will return to action on Tuesday, December 15, when they host St. Olaf in a game scheduled to start at 7 p.m.