Victories over Austin have been few and far between for the Albert Lea High School girls’ basketball team the last decade or so, but it looked like the Tigers were on their way to one Tuesday night.

Wednesday, February 20, 2002

Victories over Austin have been few and far between for the Albert Lea High School girls’ basketball team the last decade or so, but it looked like the Tigers were on their way to one Tuesday night.

It slowly slipped away.

A 20-11 lead midway through the second quarter turned into a 24-19 halftime edge, and it was tied at 33 after three periods. The Tigers never led in the fourth and lost 45-41.

&uot;I think our kids played real hard,&uot; said Tigers coach Karol Hansen. &uot;We still have some areas of concern. Turnovers is one.&uot;

The Tigers had 21 turnovers on the night, but it wasn’t the most significant number. That was free throws. The Packers were 17-for-36 at the line, the Tigers 4-for-8. Austin was called for 13 fouls, Albert Lea 26.

&uot;Considering the tempo of the game, I don’t know if I could ask more from an Albert Lea girls’ basketball team than we saw tonight,&uot; said Hansen. &uot;They played with pride and kept their composure no matter what was happening on the floor.&uot;

Amy Kelly, who finished with 15 points to lead all scorers, was the player who sparked the Packers’ comeback. She made a pair of free throws on a technical foul and followed with a three-point basket, pulling the Packers within 20-16 with 2:18 left in the first half.

The teams traded baskets to open the third quarter before Kelly hit another three. Free throws by Stephanie Eslinger knotted it at 26, and a driving lay-up by Amy Wollenburg gave the Packers their first lead at 30-32 with 3:00 left in the third.

A Danielle Jacobs lay-up put the Tigers up 33-32 in the final minute of the third, but it would be Albert Lea’s last lead.

Kelly remained Austin’s go-to player in the fourth, nailing a three and then making a pair of free throws to hold off the Tigers and Jacobs, who scored six straight points to tie it at 41 with about three minutes left.

A lay-up by Beth Bue – who spent much of the night on the bench in foul trouble – put the Packers up 43-41. The Tigers called time out with a minute remaining but never got to run their play, being called for an over-and-back violation on the in-bounds play. Jenna Cummins and Bue hit free throws down the stretch to ice the victory.

Kelly, who was 3-for-5 on three-point shots, was the lone Austin scorer in double figures. Bue scored nine, Eslinger seven, Laura Geffert five, Keri Feller two, Wollenburg two and Cummins one.

Aubree Page led the Tigers with 12 points. Jacobs scored 10, Jenny Vanderploeg eight, Beth Kolling four, Amy Ravenhorst three, Ashley Rankin two and Jenny Hovendick two.

Austin improved to 12-10 overall and 9-8 in the Big Nine while the Tigers fell to 8-13 and 4-13.

The ALHS girls play Thursday at Winona.