Rachael Doll turned in another double-double and Mayo won its third straight Big Nine Conference girls basketball game Tuesday night, 70-60 over visiting Albert Lea.
Doll, a 6-foot senior center, led Mayo with 18 points and 15 rebounds before fouling out late. The Spartans won their sixth in seven games and improved to 14-6 overall and 10-3 in the conference.
"It's again a good Big Nine win, but we again learned a lot about playing under control, not getting frantic and not taking a break on defense," Mayo coach Rich Decker said. "If we can stay positive and continue to stay focused we can have a good finish."
Mayo built a big 39-15 lead by halftime and Albert Lea never got closer than the final 10-point margin.
"We gave them some life with defensive lapses and our primary rebounders both fouled out," Decker noted. "They did hit six three's in the second half and never quit."
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Mayo plays at Owatonna on Friday night and at Mankato East on Tuesday, against two teams still vying for the Big Nine title.
"There's not really an easy win any place," Decker said. "It should be a fun stretch run."
Mayo 70, Albert Lea 60
ALBERT LEA (60)
Grace Gjersvik 0, Lindsey Stewart 0, Dominique Villarreal 2, Mckenzie Zuniga 0, Bryn Woodside 23, Sydney Rehnelt 16, Sarah Niebuhr 6, Danielle Staat 1, Megan Kortan 12.
Other stats:25 rebounds, FG 24/56.
MAYO (70)
Michelle Hansen 2, Ann Flesher 5, Sam Miller 10, Emma Korngable 0, Shelby Stewart 9, Laura Henderson 0, Hannah Larson 0, Katrina Ruedinger 9, Rachael Doll 18, Anna Winter 2, Brittney Moilanen 4, Liv Korngable 11.
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Other stats:38 Rebounds, FG 21/58; Flesher 6 assists, 2 steals; Miller 2 assists, 3 steals, 4 rebounds; Stewart 2 assists; Ruedinger 7 rebounds, 2 steals; Doll 15 rebounds, 5 blocks, 2 steals; Winter 2 assists, 5 rebounds.
Halftime:MAYO 39, AL 15.
Free throws:AL 5-10, MAYO 23-34.
Three-point goals:AL 7 (Kortan 4, Rehnelt 2, Woodside 1), MAYO 5 (Flesher 1, Miller 2, Ruedinger 1, L. Korngable 1).
