MADISON - Monroe's girls basketball team led by 19 points in the third quarter, then had to hold off a furious Altoona rally to win Friday's Division 2 state semifinal 49-47 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison on Friday.

Jaimie Armstrong and Ashley Hermanson each scored 17 points to lead Monroe (21-5), which will play Freedom (24-2) for its second title in three years at about 2 p.m. Saturday.

A more complete story will be posted online later this evening. Full coverage of today's game will be in Saturday's Monroe Times and Times online.