LEE, Mass. -- Karli Retzel scored a game-high 20 points Friday to lead the Lee High girls basketball team to a 45-34 win over Putnam in the Western Massachusetts Division 4 quarter-finals.

 

Retzel hit three 3-pointers in a decisive third quarter that saw the top-seeded Wildcats (17-4) stretch a 21-8 half-time lead into a 40-16 bulge.

 

No. 9 Putnam (15-7) was able to battle back and make things look a little more respectable in the end.

 

Brianna Hawley scored 15 points, and Shannon Finnegan and Cara Walker added five and four, respectively for Lee, which won its first game back after a nine-day layoff due to a bye in the first round of the tournament.

 

Lee on Tuesday will look to advance to the sectional title game when it takes on No. 5 Monson (12-10), a 51-36 winner on Friday night against fourth-seeded Ware.