DuBOIS - Just when it appeared the Union Golden Damsels were back in the game, Bishop Carroll stole the momentum.

Union opened the second half with an 8-2 run to pull to within 35-26.

That's when the tide of the game turned for good.

Bishop Carroll's Leah Shrift stole an inbounds pass and turned it into a conventional three-point play to halt the Damsel's spurt with 2:52 left in the third period.

The play sparked an 8-0 run that finished the quarter and the two-time defending Class A state champion Huskies went on to take a 50-32 in a PIAA second-round girls basketball playoff game Wednesday night at DuBois Area High School.

"We made a run at them," said Union coach Josh Meeker. "But they didn't get flustered. They are the two-time defending state champions, so they handle the peaks and valleys very well."

Following Shrift's play, Bishop Carroll's Ali Meckey stole another pass and converted it into two more points.

"That was it right there," said Huskies coach Bob Gongloff. "(Union) got it to nine points, but we got the two steals and buckets and that pretty much nipped it in the bud."

The Damsels' run to get back in the game followed a first half in which the Huskies were up as much as 25-9 early in the second period.

At the center of Bishop Carroll's arsenal was 3-point shooting.

The Huskies made four treys in the first quarter and six in the first half, helping them to a 33-18 lead at the break.

"That's our game," said Gongloff. "We've relied on 3-point shooting all year and it worked for us tonight."

"They started hitting those 3s and it took the wind out of our sails right off the bat," said Meeker. "We knew they were good outside shooters coming in, but they were making them from two feet behind the 3-point line. I don't think I've seen anybody at any level shoot 3s like that."

The Huskies led 11-6 with four minutes left in the first period before scoring nine unanswered points for a 20-6 lead.

"We didn't use a press defense all that much during the season," said Gongloff. "But it worked for us in the first quarter, and so we stuck with it."

Shrift and Union's Andrea Mortimer led their respective teams with 14 points.

The Huskies got the first basket of the third period before Union (23-6) made its run.

"The difference at the beginning of the third was we were getting those baseline drives," said Meeker. "They guard very well, and we weren't getting the baseline in the first half."

Amanda Adamo added 13 points and Meckey contributed 10 in the win.

Bishop Carroll (22-6) will face Iroquois in the state quarterfinals Saturday.

It was the last game for Union seniors Leia Mortimer and Briana Wensel.

"Both have matured so much over the last few years," said Meeker. "They've been great role models for the other players.

"All the girls should be proud of what they've accomplished."

UNION 32

Leia Mortimer 0 0-1 0, Briana Wensel 1 2-4 4, Andrea Mortimer 5 4-8 14, Beth Koch 3 1-1 7, Nikki Davis 1 1-2 3, Courtney Horner 1 0-0 2, Janele Divins 1 0-0 2, Kayla Hepler 0 0-0 0, Molly Scott 0 0-0 0, Mackenzie Shirey 0 0-0 0, Tiffany Corle 0 0-0 0. Totals: 12 8-16 32.

BISHOP CARROLL 50

Annie Popovich 3 0-0 9, Ali Meckey 4 1-4 10, Amanda Adamo 5 1-2 13, Leah Shrift 4 5-10 14, Alyssa Bishop 1 2-3 4, Lexi Kos 0 0-2 0. Totals: 17 9-21 50.

3-point goals:

Popovich 3, Adamo 2, Shrift, Meckey.