(Dennis Mansfield/Daily News photo) Norway junior Donna VanHolla (00) is heavily pressured by Munising’s Jenna Matson (24) and Lori Mattson (11) in the Skyline Central Conference battle for a loose rebound Friday at Norway High School. VanHolla scored 11 points, but the Knights were overtaken by the Mustangs in the fourth quarter and dropped a 48-42 decision.

NORWAY — Up seven points on one-loss Munising with five minutes to play in the third quarter, the Norway Knights stood poised to post an impressive win on their home court.

But then foul trouble and ice-cold shooting stopped the Knights in their tracks and the Mustangs left with a 48-42 Skyline Central Conference-Large girls varsity basketball victory Friday night.

Junior forward Andi Carlson scored in transition off an assist from classmate Hannah Burklund to put her team up 32-25 with 5:17 to play in the third quarter and all looked rosy. But when Carlson picked up her third foul shortly after that, Munising went on a 10-2 run to take the lead and things took a turn for the worse for the Knights.

“We played hard and we gave our best effort with the most heart we have had all year,” Norway coach Joe Tinti said. “We knew how scrappy and physical Munising was going to be and they showed up and we showed up. We just went cold and couldn’t hit the big shots when we needed to.”

Junior Donna VanHolla sank two free throws to put her team back up 36-35 with 7:34 to play, but Carlson picked up her fourth foul soon after and was forced back to the bench. Burkund was whistled for her fourth foul about two minutes later and the Mustangs took control for good.

Mustang sophomore Emmy Crisp knocked down three straight shots and senior point guard Jenna Matson hit a pair of free throws to put the Mustangs up 43-38 with just over three minutes to play. Not an insurmountable lead by any means, but the Knights didn’t convert a shot from the field for nearly four minutes, and by then they trailed by three possessions.

When VanHolla hit a jumper with 1:19 to play to cut the gap to 45-41, the Knights (4-4) still had a shot, but Burklund fouled out and Matson put the game away on the free throw line to clinch Munising’s win.

VanHolla and Carlson led the way offensively for the Knights with 11 points each. Jada Freudinger contributed nine and Burkund, who chased Matson around all game, finished with six points.

Matson paced the Mustangs with 20 points while Crisp recorded 14.

For the Knights, they seem on the cusp of breaking loose and stringing some victories together.

“I still say we are a team that could upset anyone,” Tinti said.

Jerry DeRoche can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 247, or at jderoche@ironmountaindailynews.com.