The 4A #1 Pella High girls basketball team didn’t ace its toughest test of the season on Saturday night, but they put forth a very solid effort, eventually losing for the first time, 57-53 to class 5A #3 Iowa City West.

After West started the game on a 7-0 run, Pella scored 20 of the games’ next 24 points as they built a 25-19 halftime advantage.

But the Trojans outscored Pella 23-14 in the decisive third quarter to reclaim the lead. In the fourth, the margin grew as large as 8, and Pella’s last minute charge fell short.

The Lady Dutch drop to 8-1 on the season, and will join the boys in Oskaloosa for a doubleheader on Tuesday night.