Flahive's 3-Pointer Earns Girls Basketball Victory in Season Debut

Senior tri-captain Tori Flahive's three-pointer with 13.7 seconds left propelled the Westborough High School varsity girls basketball team to a season-opening 51-49 victory over St. Bernard's Central Catholic on Thursday night.

"That's just a senior captain stepping it up," Westborough head coach Scott Kittredge said.

"She had a tough night. She got banged in the eye. She missed a couple of layups that normally would be hers. But, she didn't hang her head. She came back and she made the biggest shot of the night."

The Rangers (1-0) overcame a 10-point deficit (40-30) before rallying to cut the Saints' lead to one (42-41) at the end of the third quarter.

"We clawed back a bunch," Kittredge said.

"This is an experienced group. We hope that that can be kind of our hallmark: fighting back."

Westborough took a 44-42 lead with 4:17 left in the game when senior tri-captain Mia Natale made a free throw, her third of four during the fourth quarter's opening minutes.

"That was big," Kittredge said.

"That was our first lead, I believe, of the second half. It was huge."

St. Bernard's tied the score at 44-44 on Tarah Crowe's consecutive free throws. Alana Keating's three-pointer then put the Saints ahead, 47-44, with 3:17 left.

The score became 47-46 on Westborough senior Melissa Mastrogiacomo's two free throws with 2:51 left.

A St. Bernard's basket made it 49-46 before Rangers sophomore Kaylie Doherty hit a free throw with 34 seconds left.

Flahive's three-pointer put Westborough ahead, 50-49. And Mastrogiacomo's free throw with five seconds left closed the scoring.

Doherty had a team-high nine points for the Rangers, who also got eight from Mastrogiacomo.

Crowe and Allyson Esielionis led St. Bernard's with 19 each.

Westborough is off until 7 p.m. next Friday, Dec. 20, when the Rangers travel to Wachusett.