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Lady Bulldogs hold WCHS to 6 FG’s in rout

Lynx come up empty from field in first and fourth quarters; Nerland scores 8

WCHS senior Nicole Sweazey (14) drives past Algona’s Maddie Miller during the first half on Friday. The Bulldogs rolled to a 51-23 win. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

WEBSTER CITY — Positivity is what Webster City girls’ basketball head coach Nicole Muhlenbruch attempted to convey following Friday night’s home showdown with Algona.

Still, it wasn’t easy for her to mask her frustration — an impossible thing not to feel when your team connects on just six shots from the field.

“We did some good things, but we missed quite a few layups,” Muhlenbruch said after her club was, well, clubbed by the Bulldogs, 51-23, in a North Central Conference contest.

Missed shots in transition, in the offensive set, inside and outside and everything in between cost WCHS any chance it might have had to stay competitive. That and Algona’s menacing full-court defense that forced 26 turnovers caused the contest to get out of hand.

“We beat their press up there,” Muhlenbruch said of the Lynx 66-28 loss in Algona on Dec. 13, “that wasn’t what killed us in that game. But I just need my girls to trust in their ability when they’re breaking the press. When they’re confident they can get the ball successfully up the court.”

WCHS head coach Nicole Muhlenbruch (left) talks to Haley Flaws during a break in play against Algona on Friday. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

It didn’t help that WCHS (2-11, 2-7 NCC) played without leading scorer Taylor McKinney, who is also the team’s most reliable ball handler. McKinney watched in street clothes due to the lingering foot issue that sidelined her throughout the preseason.

Algona (13-2, 7-1 NCC), which remained just one game behind league leader Clear Lake, bolted out to a 17-0 lead in the contest’s opening five minutes. WCHS didn’t get on the scoreboard until Sarah Vogelbacher knocked down a pair of free throws with 2:58 to go in the period.

The Lynx went without a field goal in the first and fourth quarters, and tallied just one in the second. Cassidy Nerland was responsible for the Lynx initial make from the field and the only one in the first half on a short jumper from the lane with 4:42 remaining in the second quarter.

WCHS got just 13 shots from the field in the opening half and headed to the locker room trailing 30-9.

“If some of our shorter shots would have fallen, they might have dropped back on us defensively,” Muhlenbruch said. “But when you’re not making your layups, the other team can guard you on the outside stronger.”

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Nerland scored six of her team-high eight points in the third quarter, an eight-minute stretch in which WCHS outscored Algona 10-9. But the Lynx final field goal of the game came on a reverse layup by Halle Mason with 20 ticks left in the third.

Nerland added seven rebounds, while Mason finished with three points, six boards and three steals. Nicole Sweazey worked on both ends of the floor and contributed two points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots. Vogelbacher chipped in five points.

Algona had a balanced effort offensively and was led by Maddie Miller with a game-high 16 points. Aliyah Buscher popped off for 12 and Janna Julius finished one point short of reaching double figures.

Algona 51, Webster City 23

Friday at Webster City

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Algona (13-2, 7-1 NCC) — Emma Hjelle 0 0-0 0, Aliyah Buscher 5 1-3 12, Baylyn Johnson 0 0-0 0, Emily Deal 0 3-4 3, Janna Julius 3 3-3 9, Abigail Holmes 2 1-2 7, Nicole Smidt 1 0-0 2, Kameryn Etherington 1 0-0 2, Maddie Miller 7 1-2 16, Halie Bleich 0 0-0 0, Arianna Prothman 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19 9-14 51.

Webster City (2-11, 2-7 NCC) — Haley Flaws 0 2-4 2, Halle Mason 1 1-2 3, Rihanna Wood 0 0-0 0, Nicole Sweazey 0 2-2 2, Zoey Woodle 0 1-2 1, Sarah Vogelbacher 1 3-4 5, Stacey Meyer 0 0-0 0, Cynthia Whitehill 0 2-2 2, Devyn VanKooten 0 0-0 0, Grace Hoversten 0 0-0 0, Atlanta Hopp 0 0-0 0, Adalie Schwandt 0 0-0 0, Cassidy Nerland 4 0-0 8. Totals: 6 11-15 23.

Algona 17 13 9 12 — 51

Webster City 2 7 10 4 — 23

3-point field goals — ALG 5 (Holmes 2, Buscher, Miller). Rebounds — WC 35 (Sweazey 8, Nerland , Mason 6). Steals — WC 7 (Mason 3). Assists — WC 3. Team fouls — ALG 15, WC 15. Fouled out — none.

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

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