Girls find a way to win

(Above) Clear Lake’s Chloe Mueller takes a shot during Friday night’s home game against Algona.  The team found a way to top the Bulldogs, 46-43, in a close NCC game.  -Reporter photo by Chris Barragy

With their top scorer and another starter on the bench in the final minutes, the Lions found a way to win against Algona Friday night.

They hit their free throws down the stretch to earn a 46-43 North Central Conference victory.  Clear Lake improved its NCC record to 2-0.  The team, ranked eighth in Class 3A, is 5-1 overall.

“Our defense was good all night.  I was very pleased to watch our girls stick to the game plan and execute it,” said Coach Bart Smith.  “I thought that was the difference— that and free throws, even though we didn’t shoot them very well.  We made more then they attempted, which is always good.”

Emily Snelling, the mainstay of the Lion offense, fouled out with 2:45 to go in the game and her team ahead, 43-34.  She sat down with a team-high 17 points and seven rebounds.  Jordyn Barragy was also on the bench in the final minutes with four points scored in the game.

Algona did their best to exploit Clear Lake’s situation and pulled themselves to within three points.  The Bulldogs threw up a final shot which could have sent the game to overtime, but it hit long and fell away.

“I didn’t like Emily and Jordyn fouling out in the fourth quarter, but I did like how we finished the game by making free throws late,” said Coach Smith.

The Lions had an uncharacteristically awful night shooting, going 0/18 from beyond the three-point arc and shooting just 26 percent from field goal range.  The team went 20/36 at the charity stripe.

The teams were tied 23-23 at the half, but Clear Lake began to pull away in the third quarter, outscoring the Bulldogs, 13-5.

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Freshman Sara Faber struggled from the floor, but went 7/8 from the free throw line and finished with nine points.  Jessica Faber also had nine points.  McKenna Backhaus scored four points, Gretchen Jones had two and Chloe Mueller chipped in one point.

“Our fourth quarter run gave us some wiggle room with (Snelling and Barragy) off the floor and we got a nice win on a very cold shooting night,” said Coach Smith.

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