SLEEPY EYE — Sleepy Eye defeated Mountain Lake Area/Comfrey 53-35 on Tuesday in the first round of the girls’ Section 2A, South Sub-Section Tournament.

It was the tale of two halves with both teams playing relatively even during the first half. Sleepy Eye turned things around and pulled away from the Wolverines.

“I felt that everyone was nervous and uptight,” Sleepy Eye head coach Sarah Hesse said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s ugly or not. A win is a win.”

The contest started out with neither team scoring many points. It was 22-20 Sleepy Eye at halftime. The Indians started to pull away, but MLA/C kept coming back and it kept things close. Turnovers hurt both teams as well.

Haily Green and Kate Janzen opened the second half with back-to-back baskets for the Wolverines. Green’s basket tied it and Janzen gave MLA/C a brief 24-22 lead. Kaydince Thoms hit two free throws to tie it at 24-24.

Breaunna Mertz scored an inside basket that regained Sleepy Eye’s lead of 26-24. MLA/C’s Janzen made a free throw.

Sleepy Eye went on an 6-0 run after that. Thoms, Mertz and Kadence Hesse all scored. The Indians also stepped up its defensive pressure on the Wolverines, which created turnovers and points. Fouls was another thing followed MLA/C the entire game.

Brooke Naas hit a 3 midway through the second half which gave the Wolverines some hope. Her basket made it 36-31 in favor of Sleepy Eye.

Mertz scored, Okerman scored on a layup and she stole the ball and she scored on a fast-break layup which resulted in a 42-31 lead for the Indians.

With about 3 minutes left, there was a scramble for the loose ball. Mertz came up with it and she scored on a fast-break layup. On the next play, MLA/C turned over the ball and Thoms scored. Thoms scored again when she rebounded the ball .

Hesse had 13 points, 11 rebounds and three steals. Thoms scored 13 points and she had six steals. Okerman added 11 points, six rebounds and three assists. Mertz scored 10 points and she had three assists.

The Indians, seeded No. 2, will play No. 3 seed Nicollet at 7:45 p.m. on Thursday in Lake Crystal.