Staff photo by Steve Muscatello New Ulm’s Bryn Nesvold shoots the ball over a Blue Earth defender during the second half Thursday at New Ulm High School.

By Jeff Meder

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM — Kirsten Dennis scored the first 8 points of the game to lead New Ulm past Blue Earth Area 71-47 on Thursday in a Big South Conference girls’ basketball game.

Dennis had 17 points at halftime and led all scorers with 26 points in the game. Hannah Osborne added 19 points, eight rebounds and five steals. Nora Windschill had six rebounds, while Olivia Wick and Bryn Nesvold each had four assists apiece.

“I was happy for my seniors to win on seniors night,” New Ulm head coach Brian Batt said. “It was a nice win.”

Batt acknowledged that the Eagles cannot rest on their laurels because they will host a tough Faribault team on Saturday.

The Eagles set the tone from the opening tip. Dennis canned a 3-pointer, hit two free throws and nailed a second 3-pointer for an 8-0 lead. New Ulm used a full-court press on BEA which created turnovers and shook BEA’s confidence. Katlin Johnson scored BEA’s first point on a free throw. Wick scored off a rebound and the Eagles led 10-1.

BEA responded with a full-court press of its own. The Buccaneers engineered a 8-0 run of their own with 5:04 remaining in the first half to cut the deficit to 25-23. McKenna Dutton scored a basket and got a fast-break layup, while Arika Howard hit three free throws.

Dennis answered for the Eagles with a 3-pointer on the Eagle’s next possession. Tea` Armstrong hit two free throws. Wick scored on back-to-back Eagle possessions to give them a cushion.

Dennis canned a 3-pointer and she hit the back end of a free throw, making it 36-29 New Ulm halftime.

New Ulm put BEA on notice in opening moments of the second half that there was to be no comeback tonight. Windschill scored, Osborne got an inside basket and a basket off the fast-break. Dennis hit a 3-pointer and Osborne scored again.

The Eagles continued to use their press to keep their advantage. They took off the press with about 5:00 left in the game.

“We knew their defense and we adjusted, “ Dennis said. “That created a lot of open looks, we stepped up our defense and we played well.”

Things continued to not go well for BEA in the second half. The Eagles outscored BEA 35-18 as the press took a toll on it.

Daviney Dreckman scored on a fast-break layup off a BEA turnover made it a 65-38 advantage with 7:00 left in the game. Natalie Bianchi’s free throw gave the Eagles their biggest lead of the night at 69-40.

New Ulm (7-10, 3-5) will host Faribault on Saturday.