With 7:27 left in the second half, the Idaho State women’s basketball team had a 58-43 lead over visiting Utah Valley.

    The Bengal lead was still 15 with 5:10 remaining in the game and many of the 1, 013 fans in Reed Gym felt confident that ISU was going to walk away with a convincing win.

    But Utah Valley went on a 18-6 run over the 4:31 to cut the lead to 69-67 and had the ball with 3.9 seconds left. The Wolverines would have to travel the length of floor in the final seconds just to get a shot off. But Ashley Klemz was unable to shoot before time expired and Idaho State held on for a 69-67 victory Saturday in Reed Gym.

    “I think we relaxed on defense a little bit, and we were not sliding our feet like we should have been,” said Ashleigh Vella. “We just relaxed and should have been taking them seriously. They are a good team and have come back on teams before. They fight hard.”

    “You definitely have to give a lot of credit to Utah Valley,” said ISU head coach Seton Sobolewski. “They hit some tough shots, they made us extend out and then they were able to get to the basket on us. Down the stretch, we really wanted to take away the three and down the stretch we traded a two for a three and that really hurt us.”

     The Bengals were without starting point guard Kaela Oakes and her backup Blaire Brady due to injuries. In their absence, Sobolewski called on Shelley High School graduate Sheryl Bitter and sophomore Rebecca Schrimpsher to be the main ballhandlers for the team.

    Bitter made the most of her first career start recording six points and six assists in 29 minutes, all while fighting a cold.

    “I knew earlier this week it was a possibility I would start, but it was not really finalized until yesterday,” Bitter said. “My goal was just to come in and get the ball up the court.”

    Bitter did more than just handle the ball, she scored, passed to open teammates and maybe made the defensive play of the game when she turned the ball over then raced back and blocked a UVU layup attempt.

    Schrimpsher split the playing time with Bitter and was aggressive on the offensive end of the floor.

    The sophomore from Eatonville, Wash., drove to the basket for layups early and hit a couple of jump shots late, finishing with eight points.

    “I thought it was good for Rebecca, she did get out their and make shots,” Sobolewski said. “Coming into this game, she was 1-for -11 shooting on the season. She came out and hit four shots and that was big for us.”

    ISU built a 15-6 lead to start the game behind the hot shooting of Vella and the inside game of Cydney Horton.

    Vella opened the game 3-for-3 from the three point line to start the game, but early foul trouble put her on the bench for a good part of the half.

    “I just came out aggressive and I hit my first three and was felling good about myself. Then I shot another one and I made that, so I told myself I would keep shooting,” Vella said. “I just tried to find my shot when it was there, but I got in foul trouble and sitting on the bench takes me out things a little bit. But other players stepped up.”

    Vella finished the game with her first double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

    Lindsey Reed and Jessa Jeppesen also scored in double figures, each chipping in 10 points. Reed also had eight rebounds.

    Aybee Maracigan added eight points and pulled down 10 rebounds for the Bengals.

    “I think this game shows how deep we are,” Vella said . “We were deep last year, but we are deeper this year. We always say that on any given night any girl can step up and have a big game and I think this game solidified that and showed everyone we are not a one person team.”

    ISU (4-3) hosts Carroll College on Friday. Tip-off is 7 p.m. in Reed Gym.