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Set the tone for our defense. Nicole.\

North Reading's girls basketball team advanced to today's finals of the Lowell Catholic Winterfest tournament with a 45-33 victory over Austin Prep. Kirsten Morrison led the Hornets (13-6) with 14 points.

Seniors Nicole Cecchini and Tori Pearce took turns shutting down high-scoring Simone Prioli, holding the Hamilton-Wenham gunner to just 11 points in North Reading's 57-31 victory. Kirsten Morrison led the Hornet offense with a season-high 23 points.

Casey Denofrio scored nine of her 14 points in the fourth quarter and North Reading threw a huge scare into once-beaten Ipswich before succumbing 47-45 in OT. Nicole Cecchini, Tori Pearce and Mary Batalis held Hannah O'Flynn to 16 points, 12 less than the last time the two met, a 53-35 Ipswich romp.

The efforts of senior forward Casey DeNofrio and sophomore guard Lauren Hebert helped North Reading turn a three-point halftime lead into a double-digit advantage leading to a 55-38 win over Georgetown. Hebert (game-high 19 points, 7 of 8 from the foul line) scored seven points in the decisive quarter while DeNofrio (11 points) added the other four points.

The offense doesn't score alot, but North Andover's defense certainly makes sure that they hold the opposition down enough to earn the win.

"This teams gets its confidence when they play defense and stop the other team," said North Andover head coach Sue Breen.

Despite the best efforts of senior Lauren Pawlowski, who scored 11 of her 13 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, North Reading succumbed to a 3-pointer with eight seconds left, falling to Masconomet, 55-52. Pawlowski hit a pair of free throws with 10 seconds left in regulation to create the extra session. Kirsten Morrison led the Hornets with 14 points.

Five-foot-4 senior Mary Batalis held Triton's sharp shooting point guard to eight points. Batalis also scored her season-high in points with eight as North Reading rolled 50-37.
Batalis and North Reading played a man-to-man defense and held Triton to five points in the fourth. man-to-man she was guarding their point guard

Kirsten Morrison jr. 

Repelling an early 10-0 deficit, North Reading came all the way back for a 56-52 victory over Wilmington. Casey DeNofrio (11 points) kicked off a second-half full court press that energized the Hornets and turned the tide.