Staff photo by Travis Rosenau New Ulm’s Kirsten Dennis drives to the hoop while being guarded by Blue Earth Area’s Eloise Blair on Monday night at New Ulm High School.

By Jeff Meder

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM — The New Ulm girls’ basketball team notched its third win of the season with a 70-66 victory over Blue Earth Area on Monday in Big South Conference action.

They snapped a nine-game losing streak as well.

Bryn Nesvold’s basket started a 12-0 run for the Eagles. Kirsten Dennis hit a 3, Nesvold added two free throws and Dennis scored again after grabbing the rebound on a missed shot. Miranda Suess made BEA pay on a turnover. She grabbed the ball and she passed it to Daviney Dreckman who scored for the final basket in the run.

BEA’s Arika Howard scored a basket and on the next play, she scored on a fast-break layup. Eloise Blair dropped in two free throws to answer the Eagles’ rally.

The Eagles used a combination of different defenses in an attempt to throw off BEA’s rhythm. Some times, it was a full-court press. Later, it was a half-court defense with one Eagle defender greeting the BEA ball carrier. The defense would resemble either a 2-3 zone or a 2-1-2 zone with New Ulm double-teaming where possible.

As the first half was winding down, Suess canned a 3 for the Eagles and Cali Beyer answered for the Buccaneers with a 3 for a 34-26 New Ulm halftime lead.

BEA had started to step up its defense late in the first half, and it continued that in the second half.

Tea Armstrong’s 3 early in the second half brought the Buccaneers within 1 point at 36-35. Dennis responded with a basket, Nesvold hit the back-end of two free throws and Dennis scored again to give the Eagles some breathing room.

Sophie Keister cut the deficit twice. She hit a 2-point shot making it 41-40 with 10:00 remaining in the contest. Two plays later, she took a pass from Blair for a 43-42 New Ulm advantage.

Ramsey Hopp nailed two critical 3’s for a 49-42 Eagle lead. Later, Maddie Backer weaved through the BEA defense for a score. Backer made a head and body fake and she was able to go between two BEA defenders for another basket.

BEA made a costly turnover with the game winding down. Dennis scored a key basket which pulled the momentum into the Eagles’ favor. The score was 65-59. McKenna Dutton scored which brought BEA within 65-61.

After Anna Lee’s basket, the Eagles reinstituted their press, and BEA decided to press New Ulm.

With less than 1:30 left, Lee took a court-length pass to break the BEA press and she scored on a layup.

There were other Buccaneer turnovers that hurt during the course of the game. They also missed a number of free throws which would have helped them draw closer to the Eagles.

For the Eagles, Dennis had 17 points, Nesvold added 12 points, six rebounds and five assists and Dreckman had 7 points with eight rebounds.

Howard led BEA with 21 points and Armstrong added 11 points.

New Ulm (3-9, 2-6) will play at Belle Plaine on Thursday.