A huge third quarter run helped the Notre Dame girls basketball team take a 10-point advantage, which they held on to for a long time.
But there is never any quit in the Elba girls team.
The Lancers pressed their way to a comeback victory in the fourth quarter, stunning the host Fighting Irish 54-51.
Notre Dame had a 10-point advantage with 4 1/2 minutes left when Jill Marshall - an Elba transfer - scored a basket.
But the Lancers chipped away as Cassy Engle and Julie Webster hit consecutive baskets.
After Sarah Schwartzmeyer dropped in a pair of free throws, Notre Dame's lead was cut to 47-43.
It became even tighter when eighth-grader McKenzie Bezon drained a 3-pointer to get the Lancers within a point. Notre Dame traveled on the their next possession and Elba took the lead for good on a Julie Marshall two-pointer.
Webster followed with a put-back basket and a free throw and another foul shot.
Webster scored again, but the Fighting Irish were not about to quit at this point, in front of their home crowd.
Jill Marshall had a steal and a basket, then stole anouther inbounds pass with 12 seconds left on the clock.
She hit both free throws and Elba led 54-51.
Notre Dame's defense caused a turnover with 5.4 seconds remaining, but Nichole Hart chucked up a long 3-pointer that hit the back of the rim and bounced out, giving the Lancers the huge victory over their biggest rival.
Bezon's 3-pointer was one of the biggest baskets of the game, but she had a whole bunch of them. It's safe to say that without her game-high 18 points, Elba does not improve to 3-1.
Webster had 10 points and Schwartzmeyer added nine.
Notre Dame's Jill Marshall outscored her sister Julie 13-4, but her squad falls to 2-1 with the defeat.
Brittany Morelli led the Fighting Irish with 14 points with Liz Geandreau adding 10 points.
