WEBSTER CITY – Nicole Muhlenbruch played it cool, trying not to give away any hint of excitement as she sat in her coach’s office late Friday night. It was just one game, after all, and her team has got 19 more of them to play this winter.

But Webster City’s girls’ basketball coach is no professional poker player. Eventually she broke into a smile – one of satisfaction and, yes, probably one of relief as well.

The streak was finally snapped.

A strong start offensively and a commitment to unrelenting defensive pressure did the trick Friday night, as the Lynx beat North Central Conference rival Fort Dodge St. Edmond for the first time in the last 13 tries, 52-27, inside the WCHS gymnasium.

It was the Lynx first win in the series since Feb. 9, 2009 – back when WCHS still called Jeff Gym home and when the team’s five senior starters were still in the fifth grade. Gabbi Hoversten, the head coach’s daughter and one of those five veterans, led the way with 12 points and five rebounds. And unlike her mom, Hoversten wasn’t shy about voicing her satisfaction about the victory.

“It’s a big relief. They’ve been a rival for a long time and last year we were close to beating them at home,” Hoversten said. “It gives us fire, that’s for sure.”

St. Edmond (0-1, 0-1 NCC), which has won outright or shared the league crown in each of the last four seasons, is undergoing a rebuilding project. The Gaels’ roster features 10 freshmen and no seniors, and that inexperience was evident throughout the contest.

WCHS (1-1, 1-0 NCC) forced the Gaels into 24 turnovers and limited them to 27 percent shooting from the field. The Lynx had one of their better shooting nights in recent memory; they canned 21 of 47 shots (45 percent).

Hoversten and classmate Allie Flaws got the team off to a strong start with a combined 14 points over the opening 8 minutes that led to an 18-11 Lynx advantage. All three of the team’s 3-pointers came from the duo during that stretch.

Flaws finished with nine points and three steals.

“That’s very big for the confidence of the team,” Muhlenbruch said. “You get a couple of 3’s under your belt and everything else seems to flow for the kids. The defense gets sharper and you’re hitting the boards a little harder.”

WCHS built its lead to 10 points, 23-13, on a 3-point play from reserve Halle Mason in the second quarter. But the Lynx went scoreless over the final 5:30 of the period and saw their lead dissolve to just six, 23-17, at the intermission.

No worries.

Turning its defense into offense, WCHS held St. Edmond scoreless over the initial 7:42 of the third quarter and went on a 12-0 run to essentially put the game out of reach. Megan Flattery, a junior and one of the few Gaels with experience, knocked down a short jumper to keep her team from taking a goose egg in the third. She put up 12 points and 10 boards in the game.

WCHS owned a 16-point cushion, 35-19, after three quarters.

Sophomore reserve post player Cassidy Nerland played a central role in the second-half rout that saw WCHS outscore the Gaels 29-10. After picking up two quick fouls in the first quarter and sitting the rest of the way until the break, Nerland came in and put on a rebounding clinic. Her eight points and eight caroms all came in the second half.

Only a frustrating 2 of 10 performance at the free throw line kept Nerland from joining Hoversten in double figures.

“Her coming in the game and her physical presence down there was big,” Muhlenbruch said of Nerland. “(Opponents) might misjudge her and not know how physical and how strong she is. But we’re going to work on some free throws, I’ve already told her that.”

Starting post Kayla Miller was productive as well with eight points and she showed she’s got plenty in her offensive arsenal. Six of her points came on jumpers away from the bucket, two of them from the right elbow.

“That young lady put time in this summer and really worked on her shot,” Muhlenbruch said of Miller. “She has a beautiful shot from the elbow.”

Cassidy Bultena and Devyn VanKooten both added four points in the win. Point guard Chelsey Wagoner didn’t reach the scoring column, but she did plenty to contribute with four rebounds, two steals and two assists. VanKooten also collected four boards.

Hannah Huss notched four points and Hannah Zinnel chipped in three for the Gaels.

This was just the first step towards what WCHS hopes will be a successful run through the league.

“Our goal is to be at the top of the conference and winning this one helps out a lot,” Hoversten said.

WCHS will now turn its attention away from the NCC for a few nights. It will be back home this evening to try to climb Mt. Everest – second-ranked (Class 3A) and 2015 state runner-up Pocahontas Area (3-0). Led by all-state junior scoring brute Elle Ruffridge, the Lady Indians put up 72 points per game and have thumped their first three foes by an average of 28.3 points.

Pocahontas Area handled fifth-ranked (2A) Manson-Northwest Webster, 71-58, on Friday.