The late-game lapses soured what was a solid outing for three quarters, as the Lynx limped to the finish line in a 56-42 loss to North Central Conference rival Hampton-Dumont/CAL.

Trailing 37-34 after three quarters, the Bulldogs (15-2, 9-2 NCC) opened the final stanza on a 9-0 spurt and then reeled off the game’s final 12 points to pull away.

In all, Hampton-Dumont/CAL outscored WCHS (8-8, 5-6 NCC) 22-5 over the final eight minutes of action.

On the heels of five consecutive wins, the Lynx dropped back-to-back contests to the first- and second-place teams in the NCC this week.

WCHS forward Grace Hoversten pressures Hampton-Dumont/CAL’s Maci Arjes (15) at the top of the key during Friday’s NCC contest. DFJ photo/Tracy Queen

The Bulldogs were able to widen the gap at the free throw line down the stretch and Avery Hanson led the way. She went 6 of 8 in the fourth quarter and 12 of 14 on the night to aid an 18-3 scoring advantage at the stripe for her team.

WCHS head coach Nicole Muhlenbruch wasn’t happy about the free throw line disparity either. The Bulldogs had 24 attempts, compared to just four for her team.

“Their press and the refs wore us down, they really did,” she said. “When you have twice as many fouls called on us as the other team and you can hear wrists being slapped but fouls aren’t called, it starts to wear on you.”

Hanson finished with 18 points and Lauren Meader contributed 10 more for the Bulldogs. Courtney Miller just missed double figures and finished with nine.

Taylor McKinney, the leading scorer in the NCC, unleashed a 21-point performance on the Bulldogs. The Lynx senior guard drained three 3-pointers, and also collected seven rebounds and dished out two assists.

“Taylor played really well,” Muhlenbruch said. “We just need more people to score in double figures. I don’t care who it is, we just need other kids to score. When we have multiple girls scoring, that’s when we’re the most successful.

“But the girls worked their butts off. I couldn’t ask for more.”

Kelly Stoakes finished with eight points and two assists in the loss. The Bulldogs limited Grace Hoversten to just four points, but the senior forward registered 10 rebounds and three steals as well.

Tatum Goings chipped in three points. Leah Kasch, Jenna Miller and Adalie Schwandt all had two.

H-D/CAL 56, Webster City 42

Friday at Webster City

Hampton-Dumont/CAL (15-2, 9-2 NCC) — Kaci Arjes 0 0-0 0, Alana Johnson 0 0-0 0, Lauren Meader 4 1-2 10, Maci Arjes 2 0-0 6, Courtney Miller 4 0-0 9, Avery Hanson 3 12-14 18, Briana Grover 4 5-8 13. Totals: 17 18-24 56.

Webster City (8-8, 5-6 NCC) — Tatum Goings 1 0-0 3, Taylor McKinney 9 0-0 21, Kelly Stoakes 3 1-2 8, Leah Kasch 1 0-0 2, Grace Hoversten 1 2-2 4, Jenna Miller 1 0-0 2, Adalie Schwandt 1 0-0 2. Totals: 17 3-4 42.

H-D/CAL 13 10 11 22 — 56

Web. City 8 15 14 5 — 42

3-point field goals — HDC 4 (M. Arjes 2, Meader, Miller); WC 5 (McKinney 3, Goings, Stoakes). Rebounds — WC 27 (Hoversten 10, McKinney 7, Miller 6). Steals — WC 7 (Hoversten 3). Assists — WC 5 (McKinney 2, Stoakes 2). Turnovers — WC 23. Team fouls — HDC 11, WC 20. Fouled out — WC: Schwandt.