WATERLOO — The Marshalltown girls’ basketball team couldn’t turn its considerable height advantage into a victory as the Bobcats fell 42-32 to Waterloo East in Tuesday night’s return to Iowa Alliance Conference play.

The host Trojans claimed their seventh-straight win in the series, though this was the closest game in that stretch.

Neither team scored for the first four minutes of the game before Waterloo East (2-4, 2-1) took the early advantage. The Trojans led 22-12 at the half, but Marshalltown (4-5, 0-3) got back to within three points late in the third period.

The Bobcats couldn’t get the bucket they needed to tie or take the lead, and Waterloo East sent MHS to its fourth-straight loss.

“Overall I thought this was a resilient game coming out of break,” said MHS head coach Brian Murphy. “We finally got Kinsley (Bowie) back from her ankle injury, but had to play without Sydney (Kapayou) as we wait on test results for her knee.

“After facing a press and physical defense for four quarters, I thought we got worn down midway through the fourth. The girls continued fighting, but we couldn’t get enough stops to bring it any closer.”

Millie Heitmann had a team-high nine points and three assists for the Bobcats, while Jorja Janssen added eight points, nine rebounds and five steals. Ellie Hughes, Frankie Long and Bowie had four points apiece.

Long and Hughes both had 11 rebounds, while Long blocked five shots for MHS.

“I thought Millie and Jorja had very impactful games tonight,” Murphy added. “This was the most aggressive I’ve seen Millie attack the rim all season, and it showed as East was forced to try to faceguard her in the fourth. Jorja also had a number of great drives, including a beautiful breakaway steal that led to an and-one to keep things close in the second.”

Siyanna Cody and Ka’Jhira Mhoon led Waterloo East with 10 points apiece.

Marshalltown plays its first home game of the new year with Friday’s conference contest against Ames.

Waterloo East 42, Marshalltown 32

MARSHALLTOWN (4-5, 0-3) — Kinsley Bowie 1 1-4 3, Millie Heitmann 3 3-4 9, Jorja Janssen 3 1-4 8, Ellie Hughes 2 0-4 4, Frankie Long 2 0-0 4, Niah Lott 0 0-0 0, Morgan Hilderbrand 1 0-0 3. TOTALS 12 6-15 32.

WATERLOO EAST (2-4, 2-1) — Graysyn Downing 3 0-0 9, Ka’Jhira Mhoon 4 1-4 10, Siyanna Cody 4 0-0 10, Ja’Miah Ceaser 3 0-0 6, Ja’Dajh Latiker 1 5-6 7, Neela Phillips 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 15 6-10 42.

MHS 5 7 12 8 — 32

W’LOO EAST 8 14 29 13 — 42

3-Point Goals–MHS 2 (Bowie, Hilderbrand), WE 6 (Downing 3, Cody 2, Mhoon). Team Fouls–MHS 10, WE 17. Fouled Out–none.