LA CROSSE, Wis. -- Ashtyn Arnold scored a career-high 27 points on 11-of-13 shooting to lead the Bellevue University women's basketball team to an 80-65 North Star Athletic Association victory over Viterbo University on Saturday afternoon.

Bellevue improves to 12-8 overall and remains in a three-way tie for first in the NSAA at 6-1 with the victory. Viterbo slips to 5-14 overall and 2-5 in league play.

A fast-paced first quarter saw Bellevue jump out to an early 8-2 lead by the 7:40 mark with Ashtyn Arnold scoring six of those points. The Bruins stretched their lead to eight points on a three from VanBlaricon at the 3:06 mark before the host side scored the final eight points of the quarter to tie things up at 21-all.

The second quarter saw BU take the lead to stay ahead for good. Arnold scored the first five points of the period as the Bruins began on a 7-0 run. Viterbo took the lead back at 34-33 on an and-one from Tyreesha Blayblock with 3:29 to play. Shelby Little and Laura Jurek answered to provide Bellevue an 8-0 scoring from putting the Bruins ahead 41-34 before taking a 43-37 lead into halftime.

It took two minutes to get anything going offensively in the third quarter before Faith Ross made a layup to kick-start a 9-0 and 13-1 run that saw the Bruins with a 56-38 lead at the 2:45 mark. Bellevue led 61-44 after the third.

BU again drew first blood in the fourth quarter with Arnold scoring a layup and Hennings draining a three for a 22-point advantage. Another bucket from Arnold gave the Bruins their biggest lead of the night, 24 points, with 6:50 remaining and Bellevue closed it out from there.

Eight other Bruins found the scoring column to support Arnold's career night. Ross went for nine while Delaney VanBlaricon and Kaziah Terrell tossed in eight apiece.

Ross and Jurek grabbed nine boards apiece and Arnold added eight at Bellevue out-rebounded the V-Hawks 45-29.

Julia Salmen came off the bench to lead three Viterbo players in double figures with 13 points. Kaitlyn Kennedy topped the starters with 12 and Emma Wagner added 11.

Bellevue and Viterbo face off again in six days at the Bruins return home Friday, Jan. 27 to host the V-Hawks for a 5:30 p.m. tip.