LCA senior Emilee Catron scored a team-high 12 points Monday night during a 48-27 girls basketball loss at Bethany Christian.

GOSHEN – The Lakeland Christian Academy girls basketball team was in a giving mood Monday night.

In the spirit of the season, a very good thing.

In the spirit of taking care of the basketball, not so good.

Host Bethany Christian turned turnovers into baskets and got a plethora of points from Hanna Hochstetler  to turn back the Cougars 48-27.

It was simply a case of too much Hochstetler and too many miscues for the Cougars to overcome on this night.

Hochstetler, a 6-1 force inside, simply overpowered the smaller LCA frontline (whose tallest player checks in at 5-10)  to the tune of a 26-point performance in the win. The junior forward, who had 23 points in a 46-38 loss to Concord Saturday, scored 18 in the second half as the Bruins outscored the Cougars 30-18.

“She was automatic underneath for them and she runs the floor well,” said LCA first-year coach Ty Propp of Hochstetler. “We tried to mix it up defensively, but we didn’t adjust well.

“Overall, on offense we just kept giving the ball up. I don’t know how many points they had off our turnovers. The turnovers come when we break down playing as a team and our players feel like they have to do it as individuals.

“This is a good loss for me from the standpoint of figuring out our mentality and what I need to do. Figuring out what we need to do. We need to play as a team and play under control.”

Morgan Holsclaw of LCA looks for a teammate during action at Bethany Christian Monday night.

LCA, which falls to 1-3, committed 26 turnovers in the loss.

The Bruins, who snapped a three-game losing streak, led from start to finish. Hochstetler had  six points in the opening period as Bethany led 10-5. The hosts led 18-9 at halftime as LCA had 15 turnovers at intermission.

Hochstetler, despite foul trouble, had a big third quarter with 10 points. Junior Catie Kauffman scored five of her 10 points in the stanza for the hosts as they outscored the Cougars 17-8.

Bethany, which finished 11-10 last season, improves to 2-3. The Bruins defeated LCA 70-39 a year ago.

The Cougars, who were 2-19 last season, have scored just 23, 24 and 27 points in losses to Northfield, Churubusco and Bethany.

“We came here tonight thinking we were going to play better than we did,” said Propp. “The thing is that Bethany executed.  The thing with us is that our offense breaks down fast and we’re not a very good shooting team.”

Emilee Catron, one of five seniors, popped in 12 points to lead LCA. Senior Jessica Goss scored five points, junior Julianne Haines four and senior Alisa Gross, senior Frani Gerst and junior Morgan Holsclaw each added two.

Junior Marie Bontrager and Laken Richer, one of just two seniors, each had six points for coach Krysten Parson’s Bethany squad.

Marisa Marquez netted 12 points as Bethany Christian edged LCA 23-22 in the junior varsity contest. Emily McCoomb led LCA with eight points.

LCA and Bethany will both compete in the eight-team, Class 1-A Fort Wayne Canterbury Sectional at the end of the season.

LCA (1-3) hosts Lakewood Park Christian Nov. 27.  Bethany (2-3) hosts Triton Nov. 26.

Senior guard Jessica Goss of LCA drives past a Bethany Christian defender Monday night.