MINNEAPOLIS, Minn -- Women's basketball continued their Upper Midwest Athletic Conference schedule Friday against Bethany Lutheran College (Mankato, Minn.). The Rams found themselves down by as many as 28 points and lost to the Vikings despite a furious second half comeback.

North Central (4-6, 0-2) opened up a quick 5-2 lead just minutes into the game but an eight plus minute scoreless drought coupled with an 18-0 Viking run put the Rams behind 20-5 with 10 minutes left in the half. That drought was ended rather dramatically as senior Julia Skeesick (Victoria, Minn./Chaska) went on a 9-0 run of her own as she drilled back-to-back-to-back threes to cut the lead to 20-14.

The Vikings countered with two more runs of their own. First, an 11-0 run pushed the lead to 31-14 and after a North Central basket, a 9-0 run followed to balloon the lead to 40-16 at the half.

The second half opened with a 7-0 Viking run which gave them their biggest lead of the game at 49-21. The Rams responded with a 9-0 run at the 15 minute mark and then began trading baskets over the next several minutes. 

It appeared that the Vikings would cruise to the final buzzer but the Rams were not done quite yet. A pair of Shelby Norman (Winsted, Minn./Watertown-Mayer) free-throws at the four minute mark brought the Rams all the way within 10 at 64-54. North Central got to within nine on a Jorie Grenell (Lakeville, Minn./Spring Lake Park) three pointer but the clock ran out before the Rams could do anymore damage with a final score of 70-60.

Senior Jorie Grenell led the way for the Rams with 19 points including five threes. Norman added 15 on 4-9 shooting and Skeesick chipped in with 14 points and three assists.

The Rams return to action tomorrow evening as they face Martin Luther College (New Ulm, Minn.) at 5 p.m.