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  • Blue Earth Area’s Kate Hassing (15) makes a jumper over Hayfield’s Abbie Pollock (53) early in the first half of Monday’s Section 2AA semifinal game at Bresnan Arena. Wright Braudt

    Blue Earth Area bball

March 9, 2010

Olson sets tone early for Blue Earth Area in win over Hayfield

Bucs to play St. Peter in Section 2AA finals

Tom Lemmermann Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO — Any jitters Blue Earth Area had were quickly calmed as Ashley Olson drained three 3-pointers in the first few minutes of a 40-29 victory over Hayfield in a Section 2AA girls basketball semifinal game at Bresnan Arena Monday.

“(Olson) can knock down shots like crazy,” BEA head coach Al Cue said. “We got that nice cushion in the first four, five minutes and it was really about defense for the rest of the game.”

Olson’s hot hand, along with a 3-pointer and a long two from Morgan Dickman, allowed the Buccaneers (20-5) to take command with a 15-4 run to open the game.

Thanks mostly to an aggressive defense, aside from a pair of easy baskets by Hayfield’s Abbie Pollock, BEA went into halftime with a 24-17 lead.

“We played 10 kids and it doesn’t seem to matter who we put out there,” Cue said. “They believe in defense and made things tough on them.”

Only a minute passed in the second half before Olson found the bottom of the net with yet another 3-pointer, but she was largely contained by the Vikings’ Beth Felten for the remainder of the game. Hayfield (19-9) answered by scoring the next four points to cut the lead to 27-21, the smallest deficit the Vikings faced in the second half.

Kate Hassing answered with a basket in traffic and repeatedly found her way to the free throw line on her way to 10 points in the game.

Aside from a few early offensive rebounds by the Vikings, BEA was mostly able to keep Hayfield possessions to one shot.

“It seemed like when (Hayfield) put a shot up, at least for the last two-thirds of the game, there was a maroon jersey inside,” Cue said. “I was happy with that overall.”

Holding a 37-29 lead with four minutes to go, the Buccaneers milked the clock and played more tight defense to secure the victory.

“The last eight or 10 minutes of the game, we really stayed composed and used the clock,” Cue said.

The win means that the Buccaneers are repeat winners of the Section 2AA’s South Subsection.

“It means everything (to win the subsection),” Cue said. “We were subsection champs last year and with most of these girls back, these girls had a target on their backs. For them to persevere and get there again is incredible.”

Olson led all scorers with 12 points on 4-of-4 3-point shooting. Dickman and Hayley Pirsig each grabbed six rebounds for BEA.

Jordyn Krekling, who has committed to MSU, led Hayfield with eight points, six rebounds, three blocks and three steals. Teammate Kayla Garness recorded five assists.

BEA will play St. Peter in the Section 2AA Championship at 8 p.m. Friday at Bresnan Arena.

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