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Freshman guard Sydney Zerr provided a threat from long range off the bench Saturday afternoon with four 3-pointers and 12 total points to help lead the Bemidji State University women’s basketball team to a 76-64 win against University of Minnesota Crookston. Bachmann led all scorers with 22 points on 8-of-14 scoring while the BSU (3-6, 2-3 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) bench totaled 29 points compared to 10 for UMC (1-8, 1-4 NSIC).

Bachmann helped lift Bemidji State to an early, 6-3 lead with a 3-pointer and old-fashioned three-point play, beginning her first-half performance of 16 points. The Golden Eagles came back with nine of the following 11 points to regain the lead, 12-8. UMC extended the lead by one point, 18-13, before Bachmann took advantage of a Golden Eagle turnover down the court with a behind-the-back dribble to finish on a layup attempt. Freshman guard Sydney Zerr knocked down her first basket of the game, a 3-pointer from the right side, on the following BSU possession to tie the game at 18 apiece. Both teams traded scores the final two minutes of the first quarter to exit with a 22-22 tie.

Halfway through the second period, the Beavers began to pull away off a jumper from Bachmann at the 5:01 mark. BSU went on an 8-0 run over a four-minute stretch to lead UMC, 35-27, while holding the Golden Eagles to 0-of-8 shooting from the field. Bachmann’s layup for the final points of the 8-0 run was her 16th of the first half to lead all players. UMC ended the half on a 7-2 run, though, to limit BSU’s lead to 37-34 at the half.

Minnesota Crookston retook the lead for the first time since the first quarter right out of the halftime break following a 5-0 run. A 3-pointer from the Golden Eagles gave them their sixth lead of the game, which was short-lived as senior forward Sam Adamich began a 10-1 run. The 50-43 lead was the largest of the game for the Beavers until senior center Sierra Senske finished the third quarter with a layup for a nine-point, 54-45 advantage.

Senske pushed the lead into double-digits during the opening of the fourth quarter with two free throws, while Zerr sank her fourth 3-pointer of the day one minute later to put BSU up, 61-48. Senior guard Mikayla Larson eventually put BSU up by a game-high 14 points, 68-54, with under five minutes to go. The Golden Eagles followed Larson’s shot with a 9-0 to get back into the game and trail, 68-63, with just over two minutes to play. Bemidji State went on to score eight of the final nine points of the game to take the season-series opener against Minnesota Crookston.

Bemidji State shot 43.3 percent from the floor and 36.8 percent from beyond the arc, while missing just two of 19 free throws for 89.5 percent from the charity stripe. The Beavers bench provided 29 points compared to 10 for the Golden Eages.

Bachmann led all scorers with 22 points, followed by sophomore center Sydney Arrington in her first career start with 12 and Zerr off the bench with 12. Larson added 11 points while Senske scored 10 off the bench. Bachmann and junior forward Emma Rappe each led BSU with seven rebounds.

Bemidji State takes its holiday break before returning to action at home against Upper Iowa University and Winona State University. The Beavers open the weekend back at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 30 against the Peacocks followed by another 1:30 p.m. tip-off Dec. 31 against the Warriors, both at BSU Gymnasium.