CRANBERRY TWP — It was the type of game Seneca Valley coach Rob Lombardo predicted.

It just wasn't the outcome he wanted.

Michaela Lamont drained a trey with 13 seconds left to pull the Raiders within one, but her desperation 3-point shot at the buzzer was nowhere close as Bethel Park escaped with a 49-47 WPIAL Class AAAA girls basketball playoff win Friday night at Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic.

“I told our girls before the game that neither team would ever have a double-digit lead and the game could come down to the last possession,” Lombardo said.

“We played Bethel earlier this year and in the playoffs two of the past three years. You get to know each other. We knew the kind of game this was going to be.”

Neither team ever led by more than five points. The score was tied seven times and the lead changed hands 22 times. The contest was tied for the final time at 44 with 2:08 left as Paige Montrose stole the ball and drove for a lay-up to get the Raiders even.

The Black Hawks (18-5) took the lead for good on a Shannon Conley lay-up 10 seconds later. Justine Mascaro drained two free throws with 47 seconds left to extend Bethel's lead to 48-44.

“We fouled the wrong girl there. We missed fouling the player we wanted to send to the line,” Lombardo said.

That player was sophomore Kamryn Lach, who missed two free throws with 29 seconds left before Lamont hit her 3-pointer. Lach was fouled again and made one of two free throws with 9.8 seconds to go.

“We wanted to drive the ball straight up the floor, either set up a three in the corner or go to the basket,” Lombardo said. “We were out of timeouts, but it was a play we've practiced.

“Bethel's defense took away the corners and McKenna (Gross) should have probably gone to the hoop — her defender was on her hip — but she's a freshman and I can't fault her. She kicked it back out ... We never really got off a shot.”

Lamont threw the ball toward the hoop, but the shot never got there.

“We were very fortunate to survive this,” Bethel Park coach Jonna Burke said. “(Seneca Valley) played a great game. They out-hustled us to loose balls and rebounds. They kept changing their defense and it was hard for us to recognize what they were in.

“Their defense rattled us at times. There's no doubt about that.”

Mascaro led the Black Hawks with 16 points and eight rebounds. Conley added 13 points, four assists and three steals.

Bethel had 16 turnovers to the Raiders' 13.

Brooke Lyczek paced Seneca Valley (16-7) with 11 points, adding four rebounds and three assists. Montrose had 10 points and seven boards, Erin Danik nine points and 11 rebounds.

The Raiders had a 32-27 edge in rebounds after getting beaten badly on the boards in a 48-30 loss at Bethel Park on Dec. 23.

“I couldn't be prouder of our girls in that locker room,” Lombardo said. “We overcame adversity with injuries all year. We had our regular lineup healthy for three games.

“Yet we fought hard all night against a very good opponent and had a chance to win.”

Bethel Park sank 18 of 22 free throws, including eight of 12 in the fourth period. Mascaro sank all 10 of her free throws.

“Good thing we hit at the line,” Burke said. “I'm sure we lose this game if we don't.

“If we want to advance past the next round, we're going to have to play a lot better than we did tonight.”

SENECA VALLEY 47

Michaela Lamont 3-9 1-2 8, Carolyn Palaski 0-0 2-2 2, Brooke Lyczek 5-13 0-0 11, McKenna Gross 0-4 0-0 0, Paige Montrose 3-11 4-6 10, Lexus Lambert 1-5 5-8 7, Erin Danik 4-8 0-0 9. Totals: 16-50 12-18 47.

BETHEL PARK 49

Kamryn Lach 0-0 1-4 1, Cailey Klink 1-1 0-0 3, Megan Horgan 3-6 2-2 9, Rebecca Rodriguez 0-3 1-2 1, Shannon Conley 4-11 4-4 13, Christine Kovalchick 3-5 0-0 6, Ashley Spence 0-1 0-0 0, Justine Muscaro 3-7 10-10 16. Totals: 14-34 18-22 49.

Seneca Valley 13 9 13 12 — 47

Bethel Park10 15 9 15 — 49

3-point goals: Lamont, Lyczek, Danik; Klink, Horgan 2