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NEW ULM -- Minnesota Valley Lutheran advanced in the Section 2A playoffs as the Chargers held off a New Ulm Cathedral rally to win 70-60 on Tuesday in the quarterfinal round of the Section 2A, North Subsection Tournament in girls' basketball.
Abby Riederer and Emma Nelson each scored 19 points for MVL. Nelson added 12 rebounds, Abby Nelson added 12 rebounds with seven assists and Maddie Pearson had eight assists.
Heidi Hoffman led Cathedral with 16 points and Lauryn Franta scored 11 points.
The No. 3 seeded Chargers (15-11) will face No. 2 seed Sleepy Eye St.Mary's at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at St. Peter High School. Cathedral ends its season with an 11-16 record.
"We finally relaxed in the second half," MVL coach Rollin Timm said. "We played better defense had much better rebounding and we had better shot selection."
Both teams had the same problem: Both were nervous and uptight. MVL had that issue in the first half while the Greyhounds had it in the second half.
Early in the second half, Pearson's 3-pointer regained MVL's lead. Riederer and Emma Nelson scored making it 36-30 Chargers.
Pearson nailed a 3-point shot and Paulsen scored. Hannah Marzinske's basket and two baskets by Pearson lifted MVL to a 54-37 advantage. Riederer made two free throws and a basket lifted the Chargers to a 58-40 lead with 8:05 left in the game.
Lauryn Franta canned two consecutive 3-point shots started the Greyhound comeback attempt. Hoffman and Ubl each scored a basket, were fouled and made their free throws which cut the Cathedral deficit to 60-52.
Riederer scored a fast-break lay-up for a 63-52 MVL lead. Sarah Mohr and one other Greyhound scored.
Emma Nelson scored two important baskets, one being an inside shot. Emily Schommer and Mohr scored for Cathedral's final points.
In the first half, Cathedral smelled upset. McKenna Miling ignited a Greyhound rally hitting a free throw and a basket brought them to 21-20. Mohr's basket with 2:30 left regained the Cathedral lead at 22-21.
Miling, Hoffman and Ubl scored giving Cathedral a 28-21 lead. MVL hit a cold snap shooting as the first half was winding down. Emma Nelson hit a basket at the buzzer with Cathedral leading 28-23 at halftime.
Cathedral finishes its season with an 11-16 record.