BOLTON — The Groton-Dunstable girls basketball enjoyed an unbeaten run through the Nashoba Summer League regular season, earning a top seed for the playoffs in the process. The Lady Crusaders showcased a number of different lineups, due to availability, but received contributions up and down the roster from both upperclassmen and underclassmen.
In their playoff opener last week, the Lady Crusaders didn’t miss a beat and they maintained their momentum in rolling past eighth-seeded Bromfield, 56-24.
The victory was paced by a trio of players in double figures. Guard Heather Moody led the way with 17 points, three rebounds and four steals, while forward Kayla Meijer (seven rebounds) and guard Amy Mattson (two rebounds, four steals) each added ten points.
The Lady Crusaders got off to a quick start and never looked back, keyed by a stifling defense that forced Bromfield into taking tough shots. Meijer hit a 12-footer and followed by converting after hauling down an offensive rebound to make it 4-0. After Mattson’s follow-up basket, and a free throw by Moody, Bromfield called a timeout with 4:33 left in the first quarter, looking to find a way to get untracked offensively.
The Lady Trojans got two points each from Alli Waterhouse (seven points, seven rebounds) and Jackie McHugh (six points, 11 rebounds) and closed to within 10-4 after one quarter.
Groton-Dunstable exploded offensively in the second quarter to take control of the game, using their strength in the paint to score baskets from in close. Meijer’s short jumper, followed by a drive by Moody quickly opened up the lead to ten at 14-4.
Bromfield hung tough for the next few minutes, drawing to within 17-8 when Meaghan Bradshaw finished off a drive.
The Lady Crusaders put the game out of reach with a 14-3 burst to close the second quarter and extend the lead to 31-11 at halftime. Mattson and Moody each scored four points to lead the way as the Lady Crusaders made a number of steals to fuel their transition game. Neither team established dominance off the boards, but Groton-Dunstable’s edge in depth and athleticism allowed them to pull away.
Play was even in the third quarter as both teams dug in defensively. Groton-Dunstable held a 10-7 advantage in the quarter to extend their lead to 41-18. Bromfield received solid play inside the paint from McHugh and Bradshaw and the Lady Trojans did a better job of moving the ball around offensively and picking up quality shots.
After McHugh opened the fourth quarter by converting after grabbing an offensive rebound for Bromfield, Groton-Dunstable answered with a 7-0 run to build a 48-20 lead. Mattson finished off a drive, before Moody added back-to-back lay-ups after making steals.
Gillian Rooney finished with six points, four rebounds and two steals for Groton-Dunstable. Spead added four points, Carley LaMalva three points and three rebounds, while Kat Falco (five rebounds, two steals), Anna Towle (four rebounds) and Kasey Pelletier (three rebounds) each chipped in with two points. Molly LaMarre worked hard off the boards and at the defensive end and finished with six rebounds.
Bradshaw finished with six points, ten rebounds and two steals for Bromfield, while Yasmine Kanan scored four points.
Groton-Dunstable owned a slim 37-36 edge off the boards as both teams grabbed 13 offensive rebounds in the game. Groton-Dunstable owned a decisive 17-5 edge in steals.
