By Mark HaugenIf the first game is any indication, Luverne girls basketball fans are in for an exciting season.In the first of five consecutive road games to start the year, Luverne pushed Murray County Central to the limit before falling 51-49 in overtime on Friday night in Slayton. The back-and-forth game also included three lead changes in overtime.Luverne had its chances to win, as they led by two with 40 seconds left in regulation, were fouled, but missed the front end of a one-and-one. MCC’s Rachel Christiansen, who was a thorn in the Cardinals’ side all night (21 points, 19 rebounds), tied the game with 20 seconds remaining. Luverne got a shot off in the lane and the rebound and put-back, but neither fell and the game went to OT.Trailing by one with 25 seconds to go, Luverne had the ball but turned it over. The Cardinals fouled and MCC made both free throws to take a three-point lead. Luverne tried a tough 3-pointer at the buzzer, but it missed the mark."We played all right and had a good third quarter," Coach Jason Phelps said. "It was an evenly matched game. Both teams did some things well and I’m sure both teams found some things to work on. That’s what you expect from the first game of the year. They had a girl who was tough to stop and we had a girl who was tough on them."Maggie Kuhlman led the Cardinals with 22 points, 18 in the second half and three 3-pointers. "She made some big shots, especially starting the third quarter and fourth quarter when the game was going back and forth," Phelps said. "The threes that she hit were big shots for us when we were either down or tied."Sophomore Mindy Nieuwboer and junior Tori Snyder each had eight points for Luverne, 0-1. Kuhlman also had seven rebounds and five steals. Snyder nabbed six steals.Foul trouble hit Luverne early as two starters sat out most of the second quarter. Samantha Gacke, who was matching up most often inside against Christiansen, fouled out after playing about three minutes in the second half. "That gave them a little better chance inside," Phelps said. "Jackie Petersen did a good job defending the Christiansen girl, but they looked to her so often and made it a point of getting her the ball."