Staff photo by Travis Rosenau New Ulm High School’s Brynn Nesvold looks to put up a shot during a Big South Conference girls basketball game with Waseca on Tuesday night at NUHS.

NEW ULM — New Ulm’s full-court defense in the first half was stifling enough to give the Eagles a 32-19 halftime lead over Waseca on Tuesday night at New Ulm High School.

It was a good thing that first-half defense was enough, too, because the Bluejays (13-7, 5-4) figured out the press midway through the contest to outscore New Ulm (16-6, 7-3) 38-29 in the second half.

Still, the Eagles’ early offensive output and defensive energy helped them pull away with a 61-57 win in a Big South Conference girls basketball game.

The Eagles picked up their fifth consecutive victory with Tuesday’s win, a big rebound from a three-game skid weeks ago.

Senior Brynn Nesvold had an all-around strong night for the Eagles on Senior Night with a double-double, scoring 12 points and pulling in 10 rebounds.

“I think our energy was really high this game just because it’s Senior Night and it’s a fun night, and we also love beating Waseca [laughs] — it’s always a positive,” Nesvold said. “And I think we just worked really well together and then talked.”

Nesvold also had three steals, two in the second half near the perimeter on overhead passes intended for 6-foot-2 Waseca center Kloe Wadd, who ended up leading the Bluejays with 19 points.

“I kind of knew that they were trying to get inside,” Nesvold said of her steals. “And I just looked at their eyes and I could tell when they were looking, so I just knew when to go. And my long arms help with that.”

Brooklyn Lewis led the Eagles with 18 points and was also big on defense with five steals. Without Nesvold and Lewis’ takeaways, the Bluejays could have easily snuck by with their improved second half.

The Bluejays ended up hitting seven 3s in that second half to help their comeback cause.

The Eagles started the game with a 10-0 run, led by two baskets from Nesvold. Daviney Dreckman had 14 points for the Eagles, all coming in the first half.

Morgan Hulke added 7 points for New Ulm, while Kenzie Enter had 6 points and four rebounds.

The Eagles increased their lead to 29-13, their largest lead of the night, after a corner 3 from Hulke and a bucket inside by Nesvold. Wadd scored off a rebound in the paint to cut the Bluejays’ deficit to 13 at the half.

A 3 by Avery Madsen had the Bluejays back within single digits, 39-31, but Hulke scored on back-to-back layups to push the Eagles’ lead back to 12. The Eagles increased their lead to 15 after that, thanks in large part due to being in the bonus

with almost 10 minutes left in the game and several trips to the foul line.

The Eagles made 19 of 25 shots at the foul line. The Bluejays shot just four three throws all game, making one in the second half.

Waseca cut its deficit to 5 twice in the final minute, but a pair of free throws each from Lewis and Maddie Backer helped create enough distance to hold on for the win. Waseca got a buzzer-beating 3 from Mia Kanewischer for the final score.

In addition to the Eagles honoring their three seniors in Nesvold, Katie Wilker and Deborah Piazzi, the team also handed out flowers to Waseca’s five senior players before the game.

New Ulm is at Blue Earth Area for a conference game Friday night.