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Olivia Martin commits to play basketball at Salve Regina

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Martin with her parents. / Courtesy photo

Olivia Martin has committed to Salve Regina University.

Olivia Martin is following in her parents’ footsteps.

The 5-foot-7 senior wing from Whitman-Hanson Regional High announced on Twitter she has committed to play basketball at Salve Regina University.

Both of her parents, Brian and Kerry, played for the Seahawks and her mother is in the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

“Salve is getting a steal,” said Martin’s AAU former coach Matt DellaBarba. “I think she’ll make an immediate impact there.”

An impact is just what Martin made in her final go-around for the Panthers this winter, scoring 9.5 points per game, on the strength of a team-high 40 3-pointers en route to being named a league all-star. She was the team’s lone captain, as well. W-H finished with its best record (15-7) since 2009-10 and won its first tournament game in eight years.

First-year W-H girls’ basketball head coach Mike Costa posted on Twitter:

At Salve, Martin will reunite with former high school teammate Meg Henaghan, a rising sophomore for the Seahawks.

Season Review: This winter’s girls’ hoop team ‘set the tone for what this program is and what it is going to become’

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The girls’ basketball team. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The girls’ basketball team finished with its best record since 2009-10, while winning a tournament game for the first time since 2012.

Coming into the season, first-year Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball head coach Mike Costa had a hunch he had a good team on his hands.

“When I took this job, I knew what I was going to have in terms of personnel, and I knew the type of girls we had,” Costa said. “They all work extremely hard and are high character kids. Those are the two things that make teams successful. Everyone was willing to sacrifice for the betterment of the team. There were no egos and they all accepted and wanted to be coached.

“Obviously, you want to strive to win the league championship and we fell short of our goal, due in large part to the amount of depth and talent our league has.”

While they didn’t win the Patriot League Keenan Division title, they still made significant progress. After posting their best regular-season record (14-6) since 2009-10, the Panthers knocked off Barnstable, 45-33, in the first round of the Div. 1 South tournament, for the program’s first playoff win in eight years, before they fell to top-seeded Bridgewater-Raynham, 67-47, in the next round.

“Barnstable gave us the best chance of getting a tournament win,” Costa said. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy but the girls were resilient and pulled out a first-round win. Next up was Bridgewater-Raynham. We knew it was going to be a challenge with the amount of firepower that they have but we just wanted to go in and compete as hard as we could and see what happened.”

Senior captain Olivia Martin, classmate Brittany Gacicia and junior Reese Codero were named Patriot League All-Stars at season’s end.

A wing, Martin displayed her full skill set this winter, tossing in 9.5 points per game, on the strength of a team-best 40 3-pointers, while securing 2.9 rebounds per game. She hit the game-winning triple to send the Panthers past Saint Stephen’s Episcopal (Fla.) and into the finals of the Falcon Holiday Classic, which the Panthers won.

“Olivia Martin was big for us this season,” Costa said. “Obviously being the only captain she was looked to a lot for leadership. She won us a lot of games this year with her shooting. Above all, she is just a great kid. I am glad I got the chance to coach her and our program is really going to miss her. “

Gacicia, who was also a league all-star last season as well, led the team in points (11.9) rebounds (7.1), steals (2.5) and blocks per game.

“You always knew Brittany was  going to stuff the stat sheet,” Costa said. “ She impacted the game in so many ways. Offensively, she was able to score from all three levels and defensively she was all over the place. When our team was struggling offensively, they would look to get the ball to Britt to make something happen.”

W-H’s starting point guard, Codero scored just over seven points per game, while dishing out a team-high 3.2 assists per game.

“She was just solid in every area for us,” Costa said. “She is a coach’s dream. She plays so hard and gives 100 percent effort each and every play. Sometimes you wish she would take her foot off of the gas a little bit, when she is diving for a loose ball out of bounds near the bleachers because you don’t want her to get hurt, but she knows no other way to play that’s just who she is. I am glad that I have her for another year and I expect big things from her again in her senior year.

Costa is also expecting big things from sophomores Abby Martin (4.5 pgg) and Megan Stone (5.8 ppg), both of whom he’ll have for another two years.

“They were both battling for starter’s minutes for the majority of the season,” he said. “Abby wound up starting more than Megan but really it was mostly because of matchups. They both complement each other so well. Abby was a huge piece for us defensively and really brought a toughness and physicality to our team. Megan gave us some scoring punch off of the bench. There would be games where she would only play 10-15 minutes but you look at the stat sheet and she is our second leading scorer. They both really rebound the ball at a high level and attack the offensive glass. We are excited for their growth moving forward.”

Costa said the future of the program is bright.

“We were able to accomplish things that the girls program has not been able to do in a long time, and I think that gives the girls some confidence heading into the offseason and next season,” he said. “We were young this year, only having two seniors, which I think bodes well for this group. It is nice to give such a young group experience playing in the tournament. Now they have been there in those types of environments which should make it more comfortable for them the next time around. This group has set the tone for what this program is and what it is going to become.”

Sister act: Martins court crossover success

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Sisters Olivia (left) and Abby Martin. / Photo by: Nate Rollins

The Martin sisters are making it a memorable time playing together.

For sisters Abby and Olivia Martin, it all starts at the dinner table.

“That’s where we game plan,” Olivia said.

And when your sister is on your team, that is the type of advantage you have.

“And then, mostly after every game, we go on Hudl and we watch the game with our family,” Abby explained. “Even though we were just in it, we want to watch it to see what happened and review it together.”

Their strategies have worked. After leading the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ volleyball team to its first tournament appearance since 2016 in the fall, as starters, they’re both starting again this winter and have the girls’ basketball team headed back to the playoffs with its best regular-season record (14-6) since the 2009-10 season.

Olivia, a senior, is in her third year on the varsity team. She captains both sports. Abby, a sophomore, is getting her first experiences at the varsity level.

“It’s so much fun having her by my side,” Olivia said. “It’s really bonded us closer together.”

Said Abby: “I think it’s a lot of fun, and I can learn a lot from her as a player and as a person. She teaches me that there’s always room where you can grow and use different skills to win against different types of teams.”

During the fall, Olivia started at right side hitter, while Abby led the girls’ volleyball team in kills and ranked second in solo blocks at middle hitter.

“[Olivia] certainly lived up to the title [of captain],” said W-H girls’ volleyball head coach Samantha Richner. “She was a player that was constantly looking to improve on her game and would put in the work to achieve what she wanted to.”

“Abby was a huge player for us. We are so fortunate to have Abby returning to the team for another two seasons, she is definitely a player we need on the court.”

In basketball, Olivia is starting at shooting guard and Abby plays forward.

“Olivia has done everything we’ve asked her to do,” said W-H girls’ basketball head coach Mike Costa. “She’s getting to the line and she’s shooting the ball when she’s open. Hopefully, we can give her a memorable senior year.

“I’ve been really happy with Abby. I like her versatility — her aggressiveness, she is very long. Defensively, she has been pretty vocal and she’s starting to have a voice on the team. She’s fearless, she’s not afraid of anybody. We like the toughness she brings to our group.”

Sophomore Lily Welch has taken the court with the Martin sisters in both volleyball and basketball season this year.

“I would describe their mentality as working hard in each sport, but still having as much fun with it as they can,” Welch said. “I think they both play a huge role in bringing each team to tourney.”

The Martins credit a large part of their success to each other and their competitive nature at home.

“Ever since we were little, we always competed outside — no matter what it was — soccer, softball, anything we did, we just wanted to be better than each other,” Abby said.

Replied Olivia laughing: “Oh, yeah.”

“Even though she beat me every time, it just brought me to think that you always have to compete for what you want and if you want it, you have to go get it on your own,” Abby said.

And with her older sister set to graduate in a few months, that message will resonate even more with Abby.

“It’s going to be wicked hard when she leaves me,” Abby said. “But I’m here to carry on what she left behind.”

A triple threat: Codero a 3-sport standout at Whitman-Hanson

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Codero dribbles the ball. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Since she was a freshman, all Reese Codero has ever known is being on the varsity team— in three sports.

Reese Codero’s refrigerator at home is littered with magnets. It’s what happens when you‘re a three-sport athlete.

But not only is the Whitman-Hanson Regional High junior a three-sport athlete, but she’s a three-sport varsity athlete, and she has been since her freshman year. That’s rare.

“I like it because it’s three different groups of girls I get to see each season,” Codero said. “I really like seeing different faces.”

Codero is a goalie on the soccer team, a point guard for the basketball team and a shortstop in softball. While Codero doesn’t have an offseason, she doesn’t need one because each sport prepares her for the next.

“With soccer, you see everything, so I feel like that helps me with basketball because when I’m setting up the offense I can see everyone, and obviously the hand-eye coordination is big,” Codero said. “And with soccer you’re moving laterally a lot. I feel like that helps with softball and even playing defense in basketball.”

“And I’m always sacrificing my body,” Codero added with a laugh. “The turf — I’ve grown an immunity to it so now the hardwood has no effect on me, and then going on to the dirt — it’s even better.”

That sacrifice is something first-year W-H girls’ basketball head coach Mike Costa noticed immediately.

“She’ll run through a wall for you,” Costa said. “She puts her body on the line.”

She’s always had the drive, but she’s developed the skill this winter as well, emerging as the tournament-bound Panthers’ starting point guard.

“She is probably our best ball handler with the guards,” Costa said. “I just feel comfortable with her with the ball in her hands and calling any play she sees. She’s good at seeing the game, so I trust her. She is going to be a big part of what we do moving forward the rest of the season.”

In the fall, she was part of a goalie tandem that helped the girls’ soccer team to a 15-1-2 regular season, winning the Patriot League Keenan Division title. Next season, she’ll serve as a captain.

Codero makes a save in soccer. / Photo by: Sue Moss

“Reese is a rare athlete these days; one who excels in three different sports,” said W-H girls’ soccer head coach David Floeck. “She has improved every year and I think that the skills required for her as a goalkeeper are reinforced with the other sports she plays. As a young lady, she is a leader and well respected by all her teammates. She is a top-notch kid and a talented athlete.”

This spring will be Codero’s third as the softball team’s starting shortstop. W-H skipper Jordan McDermott also raved about her leadership and attitude.

“Reese brings a lot of toughness to the Whitman-Hanson programs that she is involved in,” McDermott said. “I enjoy watching her teammates look up to her, but what I enjoy most is seeing the youth players in Whitman and Hanson support her and be her biggest fans — other than her family.

“She is never one to ask about her personal stats, but about the team stats. She’s never one to drop her body language when she makes a mistake or when a teammate makes a mistake. She is what being a student-athlete is all about.”

Codero fields the ball at shortstop. / Photo by: Sue Moss

So how does Codero juggle being a three-sport athlete with school?

“Time management is a big thing,” she said. “Obviously, studies come first, and I think I do a pretty good job of managing my time, making sure I get my homework done before I come to practice, staying after school if I need extra help. If you have time management, it’s really easy to balance.”

And it’s that sort of life lesson that Codero said she appreciates the most about playing high school sports.

“There’s big wins, there’s how to balance your time with school and there’s preparing you for college,” she said. “It’s really got everything.”

Season Preview: New beginning for girls’ basketball

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Senior captain Olivia Martin dribbles the ball during the Panthers’ home opener. / Photo by: Sue Moss

First-year head coach Mike Costa is stressing balance this season.

It’s a new beginning for the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball team.

After six years and four tournament appearances under Jenna Olem, Mike Costa enters his first season at the helm of the Panthers.

“It’s been an adjustment having a new coach and having some younger players coming up, installing a new system and a new defense,” Costa said. “They’re picking it up.”

The Panthers, who fell to Mansfield, 45-41, in the first round of the Div. 1 South tournament last season, will be tasked with making up for the production of Kathryn Dunn. A two-year captain, now playing at Curry College, she paced W-H in points (11.5), rebounds (8.5) and assists (3.5) per game. Costa said it will be about balance this season.

“We have a lot of talented girls,” he said. “There’s no clear-cut girl that is more talented than anyone else. It’s strength in numbers, almost.”

Along with Dunn, now-senior Brittany Gacicia was a league all-star and provides the Panthers with their most returning production, after dumping in 8.5 ppg and hauling down 7.4 rpg last season.

“Brittany has looked good,” Costa said. “You got to kind of figure out where she likes the ball. She is a really good post up player, she scores around the basket, but she has also improved her jump shot. We have some things in mind for her, so hopefully she has a big year for us.”

Senior Olivia Martin (6.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg last season) captains the Panthers and will also be relied upon heavily.

“Liv is very positive and she tries to pick her teammates up in every drill that we do,” Costa said. “She is shooting the ball really well, too.”

Juniors Reese Codero, Rylie Harlow and sophomores Lauren Dunn, Abby Martin and Megan Stone should contribute on both ends of the court.

“I’m sure the lineups are going to vary from game-to-game,” Costa explained. “We have some really good size and they just like to compete. On nights where we have a tough time shooting, our effort and energy are going to help us a lot.”

And with a new coach, comes a new scheme.

“In terms of the stuff that I’m used to running on the boys’ side, it’s more pace and space and dribble drive,” he said. “It’s kind of been a learning curve for myself, and the girls aren’t really used to running this type of system that we’re trying to put in.

“Defensively, we’re going to play tough, hard-nosed man-to-man. We can pretty much play with anybody, we’ve got the size and we’ve got the athleticism. We can go big, we can go small, we can trap and hopefully we can press with anybody. There’s a lot of flexibility on the defensive end, it’s exciting.”

The Panthers are back on the court Friday, Dec. 20 when they host league foe Plymouth North at 5 p.m.

“We’re probably going to take our bumps the first couple of games, but as long as we defend well, we give good effort and energy and we rebound well, we’ll be pretty good,” Costa said. “I think we’ll be tough to beat.”

For Costa, hard-nosed basketball is fundamental

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Mike Costa with Bob Rodgers over his shoulder. / Photo by: Nate Rollins

Fundamentals are key for new girls’ basketball coach Mike Costa.

A fundamentally sound and hard-nosed team.

That’s what new Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball head coach Mike Costa is envisioning.

“Ideally, we’ll be closing out hard, playing tough defense, sharing the ball on offense, but just really being locked in at all times and doing things the right way,” Costa said.

Costa, who was hired in May, takes over for Jenna Olem, who guided the team to the tournament in four out of her six seasons before stepping down last March.

“Obviously, Jenna and the staff before did a great job with the program,” said Costa, who is inheriting a team that went 12-9 last winter. “They were a very successful team the last couple of years making the tournament, so I just felt like it was a great situation to be in.

“Usually when you get your first head coaching job, the team is not very good, but that’s not the case with this situation I’m in right now.”

Costa comes over from the boys’ side, having spent the past five seasons assisting W-H head coach Bob Rodgers. His tenure included a pair of trips to TD Garden. Prior to that he was an assistant for the East Bridgewater boys’ team. This will be his first time working with a high school girls’ team, but he said he isn’t worried one bit.

“At the end of the day, basketball’s basketball,” Costa said. “It just depends on what your personnel is obviously. I’m just looking forward to the opportunity because we do have a lot of talent coming back. I’ve coached for and played for a ton of great coaches who have helped me prepare for this moment.”

Further preparation has already begun.

“Being new to the girls’ side, I reached out to some different coaches as for what to look for being a new coach on the girls’ side,” Costa explained. “I’ve also watched a lot of film from last year just to get familiar with our opponents in the Patriot League, what some of the tendencies are for the girls, where they like to catch the ball and where can they score from, be effective, so I’ve done a lot a lot of film sessions on them. More importantly, I’ve sat down with all the girls in the program to build that relationship and get to know them a little better and let them know the expectations moving forward.”

The expectations are pretty straightforward.

“We want to come out and we want to compete every game,” Costa said. “We want to be the better prepared team and I think having a ridiculous attention to detail in everything we do, especially what people from the outside might not see. When people watch us play, I want to them to see us really loving the game and pulling for each other. When people watch Whitman-Hanson play, I really want them to say, ‘That’s a team. They all pull for each other and they compete their butts off.’”

Season Review: No quit in girls’ basketball team

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The Panthers before the anthem. / Photo by: Sue Moss

W-H finished the season at 12-10.

Shortly into its first practice, the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball team was dealt a major blow. Senior co-captain Erin Leahy went down with an injury.

Leahy, who was a Patriot League All-Star last season after missing a chunk of her sophomore campaign with a torn ACL, was expected to be a major contributor. She wouldn’t see the floor all season.

It took the Panthers a few games to find their rhythm, stumbling out of the gate to an 0-2 record. After that second loss, 42-34 to Hingham, sixth-year head coach Jenna Olem remained assured her team would figure it out.

“We’re gonna be better than you think,” she said at the time. “It’s a work in progress.”

She was right. The Panthers locked down wins in their next five games. Two of those wins came in the Hoosac Valley tournament, as the Panthers knocked off the host Hurricanes (this season’s D3 Western Mass champions) and Greenfield (this season’s D3 Western Mass. runner-up).

The Panthers first league test was a matchup against Duxbury, and an Ann O’Neill 3-pointer sent them to victory.

W-H ended league play at 7-7. It had both Plymouth North and Duxbury, in its rematch, on the ropes, but just couldn’t finish them off.

The Panthers capped the season with wins over Abington (44-25) and Rockland (59-53), two tournament teams, to claim the Shawn Cotter Invitational Tournament. The Panthers, who allowed 37.5 points per game during their last six regular-season contests, set out to win at least one in-season tournament this winter and they won both.

In the D1 South tournament, the 11th-seeded Panthers succumbed to sixth-seeded Mansfield in a nail bitter, 45-41, finishing 12-10 on the year.

W-H was paced by the play of senior forward Kathryn Dunn (11.5 ppg , 8 rpg and 3.5 apg) and junior Britany Gacicia (8.4 ppg and 7.3 rpg) this season, both of whom league all-stars. O’Neill, juniors Olivia Martin (third on team with 6.6 ppg) and Hannah Damon (second on team with 2.5 apg) and sophomore Reese Codero all stepped up in spurts.

Jenna Olem out as girls’ basketball and softball head coach at Whitman-Hanson

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Veteran Whitman-Hanson Regional High two-sport head coach Jenna Olem announced yesterday she will not be returning to the school for the upcoming softball campaign and is done coaching the girls’ basketball team as well.

“I am almost overwhelmed from everything I learned from so many different people, about coaching, about relationships, about life,” Olem wrote in a tweet. “Although my time coaching at W-H has come to an end, I am confident I will take all of these experiences with me.”

The reason for her departure can only be speculated, but W-H athletic director Bob Rodgers told the Express she resigned yesterday.

“We appreciate everything Jenna has done for our school, and I enjoyed watching her grow as a coach during her time at Whitman-Hanson,” Rodgers said.

Olem took the reins of both the girls’ basketball and softball teams in the 2013 school year. She had the softball team in the tournament that year, and took the basketball team to the playoffs the following season. Overall, she compiled 120 wins combined as the coach of both sports.

This past season was perhaps her best yet at the helm of the basketball team, taking a team that lost league all-star, co-captain and starting point guard Erin Leahy 15 minutes into the first practice and going 12-10 on the season. The Panthers entered the tournament as the 11 seed and hung with sixth-seeded Mansfield, before falling 45-41.

W-H played the roll of underdog often during Olem’s tenure, but always seemed to thrive. In 2015, her softball team stunned Bridgewater-Raynham (18-2 at the time), 4-1, in the first round.

Coaches from all around took to Twitter in the wake of Olem’s departure:

The softball season gets underway in less than two weeks.

Pair of Panther hoop teams headed to postseason … again

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Both Whitman-Hanson basketball teams will play in the tournament.

For the third straight season, Whitman-Hanson Regional High’s boys’ and girls’ basketball teams have clinched playoff berths.

This is also the fourth time in the last six years both W-H basketball programs have earned a spot in the postseason.

11 STRAIGHT FOR THE BOYS

Photo by: Sue Moss

It’s almost always a sure bet veteran coach Bob Rodgers will have his team in the postseason no matter who it’s tasked with replacing at the season’s outset.

The boys clinched their spot on Jan. 29 with a 67-57 victory over Scituate at home, giving them their 11th win of the season.

“I’m always happy for the kids when we clinch a tourney spot because it’s such a special experience,” said Rodgers.

Senior captain Joey DePina paced the Panthers (16-6) with 16 points, while junior point guard Stevie Kelly tossed in 11.

“Joey DePina has been the heart and soul of our team,” Rodgers said. “His leadership has been instrumental in our team’s success. He is such a great teammate who is loved and respected by everyone on the club.

“Stevie Kelly has been the driving force behind our team this year. He has grown so much as a player and as a person. We are very proud of him.”

The Panthers have been buoyed by a balanced attack all season.

“Our depth is definitely our advantage,” Rodgers said. “We play more kids than most teams and while some may criticize that approach, we feel like having as many kids as possible contributing we create a culture where everyone has motivation to practice hard every day.”

Rodgers said his club knows exactly what it has to work on.

“Overall our team toughness and rebounding is an important part of the game that we have to improve,” said the coach.

The Panthers will aim to keep it simple in the playoffs.

“The only goal is to win that first game,” Rodgers said. “You can’t get too far ahead of yourself. Every team in the tournament can beat anyone, so you just have to stay focused on the game in front of you.”

GIRLS HEADED BACK

Photo by: Sue Moss

It’s taken a complete team effort for the girls’ basketball team to clinch a spot in the tournament for the third year in a row.

Jenna Olem’s club (12-8) picked up its 10th victory Feb. 13 with a 53-44 triumph over Silver Lake behind a monster 18-point, 15-rebound effort from senior captain Kathryn Dunn.

“Every team sets out to clinch a tournament spot,” Olem said. “As the season wore on I knew it was definitely within reach and it was just a matter of when.”

After losing senior captain and point guard Erin Leahy in the first practice of the year, the Panthers have been piecing it together.

“A big thing at beginning of season was stressing our depth and players filling in necessary roles when called on,” Olem said. “We’ve had big nights from a different players at different points in the season. When different players are able to stand out on different nights, it is a strength to our team.”

W-H has relied heavily on its defense (allowing 41 ppg), as its offense has been inconsistent at times, averaging 53 ppg in wins and 35 PPG in losses.

“We’re working on getting off to better starts offensively in the first quarter, knowing how to close out teams when we have a lead late and rebounding,” Olem said.

The goal?

“Pull an upset in the first-round tournament said,” Olem said.

O’Neill sends girls’ basketball past Duxbury, to fifth straight win

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Anna O’Neill hits the winner as the Panthers knock off Duxbury, 44-42.

It was a moment in the making. 

Anna O’Neill’s name has not been called on much this season. In fact, she didn’t play at all in the two victories posted by the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball team at the Hoosac Valley Tournament.

But O’Neill got her opportunity Friday, and she made the most of it. 

With 1:32 remaining, the senior guard rose up and drained a 3-pointer from the left side of the arc to send the Panthers past Patriot League Keenan Division rival Duxbury and to their fifth straight win. 

“I knew she was going to get hot for us and she came up clutch for us,” said W-H head coach Jenna Olem. 

Said O’Neil: “Coach kept telling me to work and work at practice and she gave me a shot and I hit it. It’s really exciting.” 

After a pair of Dragons misses from the charity stripe, senior Meg Henaghan sealed the win with an offensive rebound.

W-H (5-2) trailed by as much as eight in the second quarter but cut its deficit to 25-23 at the half behind the scrappy play of junior Brittany Gacicia (eight points in first half). 

“We knew it was going to be intense,” said W-H head coach Jenna Olem. “We got off to a slow start but they played really hard and there was just a lot of hustle plays at the end to keep us alive.”  

The Panthers gained a 33-31 edge heading into the fourth on a late 3-pointer by senior captain Kathryn Dunn.

The Dragons (3-4) received a double-double from senior Sam Brennan (10 points, 14 rebounds) and 21 points from senior Teagan Curran. 

Olem noted she was impressed by the play of senior Leah Badger and junior Hannah Damon.

The Panthers host Pembroke Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. 

“They’re finally finding what their strengths are and understanding what their roles are,” said Olem.