SLIPPERY ROCK — As Molly Rottmann put it, “The game couldn't have started out any better for us.”

Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's girls basketball team was hitting on all cylinders in the first quarter of its PIAA Class 4A quarterfinal playoff game against Villa Maria.

Senior forward Sam Breen scored 12 points in the period and the Trojanettes' defense forced six turnovers as CWNC built a 20-11 lead.

Things began to go south for the Trojanettes at the start of the second period.

Villa Maria dropped a 23-5 run on CWNC, which saw its season come to an end with a 57-41 loss Saturday afternoon at Slippery Rock University's Morrow Field House.

What ignited the Victors' dominance, according to Rottmann, was the team's defensive strategy.

“They picked up their pressure and we got out of our rhythm,” she said.

Villa (21-5) forced CWNC into nine turnovers in the second period. At the other end of the floor, the team's offense began to assert itself.

Five different players made field goals in the period as the Victors shot nearly 70 percent (9-of-13) from the floor.

The Trojanettes were whistled for a player-control foul four times in the game, twice in the second period.

“We could see it early on, their plan was to put their head down and take it to the rack,” said Villa Maria coach Doug Chuzie of the Trojanettes. “Our girls understood that they had to get in the lane to defend it.

“In girls basketball, taking a charge is like a dunk,” he added. “It's a big momentum boost.”

In one period, CWNC's 9-point lead had turned into a 34-25 halftime deficit.

Breen went to the bench with four fouls with 2:42 left in the third quarter and her team trailing 40-27.

But CWNC answered with an 8-0 run that included Cassie Foster's trey that made it 40-33 late in the third.

“We didn't fall apart when Sam came out,” said Rottmann. “Other girls stepped up and we got some stops defensively.”

The Trojanettes' attempt at a comeback hit its climax at 40-35 early in the fourth. Despite Breen's return with 4:44 left, the Victors closed the game with a 17-6 run.

Breen was held scoreless after owning the first quarter.

Tess Myers led CWNC with 14 points.

Chuzie knows how formidable the Trojanettes can be.

“Sam Breen was named player of the year in Pennsylvania for a reason,” he said. “And Tess Myers may be the best freshman in the state.”

A pair of Division I prospects keyed Villa's advance to the semifinal round.

Molly Mraz, a junior guard, paced Villa with 17 points.

Madison Demski, a 6-foot-2 junior forward, scored all 16 of her points from the second quarter on.

CWNC (25-3) will miss out on its bid for a second straight state championship, but the Trojanettes did win the program's first WPIAL title in six years earlier this month.

“Winning a state title is our goal every year and it was certainly attainable this year,” said Rottmann. “I'm really proud of the girls. We just had a horrible second quarter.”

VILLA MARIA 57Autumn Byes 2 0-0 4, Addy Cross 1 0-0 2, Julia Casella 0 3-4 3, Madison Demski 8 0-0 16, Molly Mraz 4 6-6 17, Andrea McCormick 3 3-4 9, Sydney Palermo 2 2-2 6. Totals: 20 14-16 57.CW NORTH CATHOLIC 41Cassie Foster 1 1-2 4, Kylie Huffman 2 1-2 5, Tess Myers 5 2-2 14, Dani Short 1 4-6 6, Sam Breen 5 0-0 12, Ashley Robbins 0 0-2 0, Emma Pospisil 0 0-0 0, Amanda Bucklew 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14 8-14 41.Villa Maria 11 23 6 17 — 57CW North Catholic20 5 8 8 — 413-point goals: Villa Maria 3 (Mraz 3); CW North Catholic 5 (Myers 2, Breen 2, Foster).