WILLMAR -- Short a foot, two ankles and a nose, Willmar showed plenty of heart, but ended up falling to Fergus Falls Friday 42-37 in Central Lakes Conference girls basketball.
Willmar started the evening down a top substitute and one starter and before halftime had lost two more starters -- point guard Andrea Brown (ankle) and off-guard Dana Guetter (possible broken nose).
Both teams played with intensity in a dual among CLC leaders. Willmar led 22-18 at halftime, but was outscored 24-15 in the second half by the Otters, who are now 5-0 in their first season in the CLC.
Starting guard Brin Hanson (foot) and back-up forward Lisa Nielsen (ankle) were on the bench when the game started. Brown limped off late in the first half. Guetter got her feet tangled going for her own rebound and fell face first on the floor with 1:47 left in the first half.
Megan Brown, Andrea's sophomore sister, took over and didn't miss a beat. She secured the ball against the Otters' tenacious defense, while scoring seven points.
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Brianna Goldschmidt moved to guard from forward. Jamie Wilson, off the bench, scored six points, while starter Katie Holmgren added 10 points and five rebounds.
Post Laura Nielsen, never sitting and double teamed, had eight points, 10 rebounds, three assists and four blocked shots.
Sophomore Hannah Draxten led the Otters with 16 points followed by Krista Shailkoski with 13 points.
Willmar coach Brad Atchison said his team played with "heart and guts."
He added: "We had four of our top seven out by halftime. I've never seen a rash of injuries like this. But I was so impressed with the way our kids stepped up."
Willmar pulled to within 40-37 on a Brown three-pointer at 3:30 but was unable to convert again.
Ferg. Falls 42, Willmar 37
Fergus Falls (5-0, 5-0) 18 24 -- 42
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Willmar (3-2, 4-2) 22 15 -- 37
FERGUS FALLS - 17-42 FG (4-10 3 pt); 3-9 FT; 19 rebounds; 14 fouls ... Scoring: Stacey Sellner 2, Deveny Moore 4, Megan Erstad 2, Hannah Draxton 16, Kristin Brause 5, Krista Shailkoski 13 ... 3-point shots: Draxton 1, Shaikoski 2 ... Rebound leader: Moon 4, Draxten 7, Shaikoski 4
WILLMAR - 15-35 FG (2-3 3 pt); 5-7 FT; 24 rebounds; 11 fouls ... Scoring: Megan Brown 7, Dana Guetter 4, Briana Goldschmidt 2, Katie Holmgren 10, Jamie Wilson 6, Laura Nielsen 8 ... 3-point shots: M. Brown 2 ... Rebound leader: Nielsen 10, Holmgren 5 ... Assist leader: Guetter 2, Wilson 2, Goldschmidt 2, Nielsen 3 ... Steal leader: Brown 3, Guetter 3, Goldschmidt 3 ... Blocked shots: Nielsen 4
NEXT -- Willmar: Thursday at Little Falls
