WILLMAR - It wasn't always easy for the Willmar girls basketball team on Tuesday night. But it was another win.
The No. 4 Cardinals survived a tough challenge to remain undefeated on the season with a 60-55 win over Sauk Rapids-Rice at Willmar High School.
Cayle Hovland had a team-high 15 points and converted a pivotal three-point play with 57 seconds left as Willmar remained alone in first place in the Central Lakes Conference.
Neither team led by more than seven points on the night, which came with a 21-14 Cardinals lead in the first half. The Storm, though, marched back to take a 32-29 lead by the end of the half thanks to the shooting of Bailey Roscoe and Bailey Becker.
Willmar led by as many as six points in the second half, but Sauk Rapids drew even at 52-52 with 3:39 to play.
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From there, the Cardinals defense buckled down. Both teams traded baskets before a Hannah Johnson transition layup put Willmar up by two with 2:28 remaining.
Roscoe split a pair of free throws with 1:37 left to cut the lead down to one, but Hovland powered through in the paint for a three-point play to go up 59-55.
The Storm had two chances to draw within one on a pair of 3-pointers, but weren't able to connect in the closing seconds.
Carly Wedel scored 12 points and had nine rebounds for the Cardinals, who shot 40.7 percent from the field.
Roscoe and Becker accounted for 36 of the Storm's 55 points.
Willmar returns to the court with a Section 5AAA battle on the road against Big Lake at 7:15 p.m. on Saturday.
Willmar 60, Sauk Rapids 55
Sauk Rapids (7-7) 32 23 - 55
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Willmar (14-0) 29 31 - 60
SAUK RAPIDS - Scoring: Bailey Roscoe 19, Emily Kath 7, Noel Reberg 4, Maddie Blair 2, Bailey Becker 17, Angela Konz 6 ... 3-point shots: Roscoe 2, Kath 1, Becker 2 ... Rebound leader: NA ... Assist leader: NA ... Steal leader: NA
WILLMAR - Scoring: Abby Berskow 10, Katelyn Murphy 3, Sadie Raitz 4, Madi Linbo 11, Hannah Johnson 5, Cayle Hovland 15, Carly Wedel 12 ... 3-point shots: Berskow 2, Murphy 1, Wedel 2 ... Rebound leader: Wedel 9, Johnson 5 ... Assist leader: Hovland 3 ... Steal leader: Johnson 5
