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North Reading girls basketball won its third straight game with a 43-37 victory over Manchester Essex. Kirsten Morrison and Sarah Murray each netted 12 points. 

Sherman 5 RB - 3 steals.  Seior Rachael .   Kristin Hogan - 3 rb 3 steals.

MALDEN — After reaching the Division 4 North semifinals, Presentation of Mary Academy saw its season crashing to a halt before halftime.

Unable to successfully navigate the Manchester-Essex press, the fifth-seeded Panthers trailed by 17 points at intermission before dropping a 50-32 decision to the 16th-seeded Hornets last night at Malden High School. “We knew (the press) was coming,” first-year PMA coach Joe DeBlois said. “We reverted to our old ways. I’m not exactly sure what happened, but we just didn’t do what we’ve been doing the last few games.”

NORTH ANDOVER — Nikki Karalis missed the easy shots but knocked down the difficult ones against Gloucester in the Division 2 North first round yesterday.

The North Andover senior swished two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. Her second 3 gave her her team the lead for good with 2 minutes, 53 seconds left in the game.

Margaret Bergson made the first 3-point basket of her career in Georgetown's 39-19 humbling of Rockport. Morgan Gott had nine rebounds in a great defensive effort and Michelle Reilly added five steals for the Royals.

North Andover hit 50 points for the first time this year and did so with a balanced scoring attack that was led by Erika Zahoruiko's double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.  Julia Titone added nine points and the trio of Amanda Foote, Morgan Lumb and Katie Maroney each had four steals. Alex Medlock had a strong defense game and chipped in with four points.

Kirsten Morrison jr. 

With a first quarter basket, senior guard Ashley Viselli became the first Pentucket female player to score 1,000 career points in the Sachems' 67-36 victory. Viselli joins Mike Iola, whose sister Lauren is a current player, as the only Pentucket athletes to achieve the milestone.

Behind a disruptive 24-steal effort in its home opener, Georgetown easily dispatched of Rockport, 52-21. Junior Rachael Sherman (10 points) and sophomore Morgan Gott (8 points) had six steals each and freshman Kylie Troy added five.

Paola Gutierrez opened her season with a bang, scoring 24 points and grabbing 10 rebounds as Greater Lawrence edged Rockport 41-35.

Star Georgetown center Taryn O'Connell broke the school's all-time girls scoring record, racking up 28 points to bring her career total to an amazing 1,328. O'Connell also grabbed 15 rebounds in the Royals' 75-72 overtime loss to Manchester Essex. As if O'Connell's record-breaking performance wasn't enough, the game was decided in riveting fashion, as well.

It's been a case of bad luck for Taryn O'Connell and her Georgetown Royals each of her last two big milestones. A year ago her 1,000th point came in the teams final game of last season, a loss in the state tournament. Against Manchester Essex, O'Connell broke the all-time Georgetown girls basketball scoring record with 28 points to go with 15 rebounds to put her at 1,325 career points putting her three points clear of former record holder Megan O'Connor (1,322 points). Again it came in a loss to the Hornets on a buzzer-beater, in over-time from half-court, 75-72.

Shannon Hartford was also marvelous at the point for the Royals scoring a career high 15 points, dishing out 12 assists, and collecting five rebounds. Haley Gisonno had 12 points, and Kelly O'Brien play outstanding defense for the Royals.

Jen Rock led Triton with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Brittany Caprio had 11 points for the Vikings (6-7).

"I couldn't ask for a better effort," Triton coach Karen Christian said. "We were in the right spots, we just couldn't put it in the basket."

The Sachems (13-1) led 20-2 after one quarter and 29-2 at halftime. Eleven of the 13 Sachem players scored points.

"I couldn't be prouder of the girls," Pentucket coach John McNamara said. "They managed the game well. They gave up individual statistics to give other teammates opportunities."

 Brittany Caprio led a terrific Triton outing with 11 points and seven assists as the Vikings led from start to finish and won, 46-25. Caleigh Mehan had nine points, Lauren Mihalchik had six points and seven rebounds, and Jen Rock had six points and eight rebounds all for the Vikes.