They gave Spring Grove their best battle within the conference this season, but LeRoy/Ostrander’s girls basketball team finished on the short end of a 53-50 score Friday in LeRoy.

The Cardinals (22-3 overall) led 46-40 late in the game, but the Lions hit back-to-back threes to tie it up and Spring Grove (21-4 overall) took a three-point lead after drawing Rachel Rosedhal’s fifth foul.

Kaylee Bunne missed a game-tying three at the buzzer for L/O, which would have to win two postseason contests to play the Lions, who finished first in the SEC, again.

“We hope that playing them close tonight makes us motivated to work hard and get back to playing them again,” L/O head coach Aaron Hungerholt said. “They put some pressure on us tonight and they force you to make mistakes.”

L/O will open the Section 1A playoffs at home next Thursday as a No. 3 seed.

L/O scoring: Rachel Rosedhal, 21; Mac Bunne, 11; Kaylee Bunne, 7; Chanda Riedemann, 6; Krista Bunne, 5