After dropping three straight games, the Albert Lea B-squad girls’ basketball game got back on the winning track with three consecutive victories.

The Bengals shut down Rochester John Marshall, holding the Rockets to nine first-half points on their way to a 43-26 triumph. Ellie Holmen led the way with a double-double, totaling 10 points and 12 rebounds. Ali Arnold had 12 points and two assists. Others: Nikki Hendrickson six points, two rebounds; Anderson four points; Katherine Ladwig four points; Brooke Woitas four rebounds; Heather Hovland two points; Leah Walters four rebounds, three assists; Liz Thompson four rebounds; Jen Larson three rebounds.

&uot;The key to this victory was taking care of the basketball,&uot; said coach Jay Crabtree.

The Bengals beat Winona 48-23, recovering from an 8-6 deficit at the end of the first quarter.

&uot;The girls played their best defensive game of the year,&uot; said Crabtree, whose squad had 38 rebounds and 11 steals while making 15 of 25 free throws.

&uot;I’m very pleased with our ability to control the ball and dominate the boards,&uot; added Crabtree. &uot;If we continue on this course of steady improvement we will be very competitive the rest of the season.&uot;

The leaders: Arnold 13 points, four rebounds, three steals; Hendrickson 13 points; Holmen eight points, 12 rebounds; Anderson four points, 10 rebounds; Ladwig four points, two steals; Walters three points; Leah Gilbertson two points, two steals; Woitas four rebounds, four assists, two steals; Larson three rebounds; Thompson three rebounds.

In the losses, the Bengals fell 59-42 to Owatonna, 49-37 to Rochester Mayo and 39-38 to Fairmont.

Arnold had a big game against Owatonna with 20 points, five steals and four rebounds. Against Mayo, Anderson had 10 points and six rebounds, Hendrickson nine points and five rebounds, Holmen seven points and 11 rebounds, Ladwig seven points against Fairmont.

The Bengals, 9-6, play tonight at Winona.