Lyle/Pacelli attacked the basket and hit its open jumpers, and Houston did not have an answer.

The L/P girls' basketball team, starting the new year on the road, took a 51-46 Southeast Conference victory from the host Hurricanes Thursday night. Lyle/Pacelli (2-9, 2-3) got 18 points from eighth-grader Anna Hebrink and 17 more from junior point guard Kate Boisjolie in a sturdy defensive effort.

"We never got down on ourselves," said L/P coach Craig Smith. "We came back and played our game."

Lyle/Pacelli got its offense going toward the basket as Boisjolie scored her season-high, spurred by 9-12 free-throw shooting. Louise Mudra scored seven of her nine points at the charity stripe as well.

"That's a huge number for Kate," Smith said of his point guard's 17 points. "We need her to do that. She attacked the basket and got to the free-throw line."

Hebrink helped keep the defense honest by hitting four three-pointers in leading all players with 18 points.

"She was just hitting all her open shots," Smith said.

Houston led 16-11 after the first quarter before L/P managed to tie it at 25-all at the half.

The host Hurricanes spun back with six straight to start the second half, but Lyle/Pacelli kept its composure and picked up its second win of the season.

"This win was a huge momentum-builder for us," Smith said.

L/P finished the third quarter on a 16-3 run and maintained a 41-34 lead for a 51-46 SEC victory.

"At the end of the first quarter we started making a run and that carried over into the second quarter," Smith said. "We went into the half with a lot of confidence.

"It was all character. We didn't let anything get to us tonight."

Allowing on 46 points was the third-best effort by the L/P defense this season.

"The defense really stepped up tonight," Smith added. "I'm glad it was a close game, we learned a lot tonight.

"The overall team effort on defense was huge for us."

Lyle/Pacelli lost three games to end the first half of the season but broke that string to open the new year. L/P hosts Grand Meadow Tuesday and Lanesboro Thursday, both at 7:30 p.m. at Pacelli High School, in Southeast Conference action.

Boxscore:

LYLE/PACELLI (51) -- Louise Mudra 9, Anna Hebrink 18, Kate Boisjolie 17, Laura Christopherson, Sammi Jones 2, Kristina Hollerud 0, Rebecca Mino 0, Lindsay Halbach 0.

HOUSTON (46) -- Menske 15, Beckman 12.

Lyle/Pacelli11141610--51

Houston169912--46

Free-throws -- L/P 16-24; Houston 7-15

Three-pointers -- L/P 5 (Hebrink 4, Christopherson); Houston 0.