WEXFORD - When is a basketball coach proud of her team's effort in a 60-32 loss?

When the team's top three scorers are benched by injuries, which was the situation Dorothea Epps faced Monday night at North Allegheny.

The Butler girls basketball coach watched her depleted squad keep the game close well into the second half before the Tigers pulled away in a Section 3-AAAA clash.

"We knew we were undermanned going in," Epps said. "The girls who did play kept fighting, but we just ran out of gas at the end."

Point guard Kelly Miller (knee) and forwards Samantha Karns (knee) and Amy Achesinski (ankle) spent the entire game watching from the bench.

Two other players, Julie Ehrman (right knee) and Maria Baroffio (left ankle), left the game in the first half with injuries, though Ehrman did return in the second half.

"This section is so tough. It's a tough time to get hit with all those injuries," said Tigers coach Will Saunders.

Rachel Barry led the Golden Tornado (9-10, 3-6) with 12 points while Baroffio added seven.

But Butler's best effort came on defense.

After allowing North Allegheny to jump out to a 23-9 lead after one quarter, the Golden Tornado switched up on defense and surrendered just 15 points over the next two periods combined.

"Coming in with all the injuries, we felt we couldn't match up with them, so we went with a zone defense," said Epps. "But after that first quarter, we switched to man."

Rachel Divosevic, who led all scorers with 15 points, scored 11 of them in the first eight minutes of play to key the Tigers' fast start.

Five different players scored for Butler in the second period and NA's lead was trimmed to 29-24 at the break.

"I knew Butler would play us tough, even with the injuries," said Saunders. "But I was disappointed in our inability to score against their man-to-man in the second quarter.

"I thought we got much better with that in the second half."

Despite its defensive stand, the Golden Tornado was unable to stay with NA.

When North Allegheny's Cara Davies hit a three-pointer with just under one minute left in the third quarter, the Tigers (10-8, 5-4) took a 38-26 lead and dominated the rest of the way.

"Before the game, we just talked about effort, heart and desire," said Epps. "And I think the girls had all three tonight."

BUTLER 32

Rachel Barry 2 8-9 12, Ashley Nocera 1 0-0 3, Kelley Crater 0 1-2 1, Maria Baroffio 2 2-2 7, Julie Ehrman 1 1-2 4, Michelle Richey 1 0-0 2, Karissa King 1 0-0 3, Jen Lesniewski 0 0-0 0, Liz Schultz 0 0-0 0, Emily Miller 0 0-0 0, Elza Hartung 0 0-0 0. Totals: 8 12-15 32.

NORTH ALLEGHENY 60

Laura Casey 2 0-0 5, Kate Winland 1 0-0 3, Cara Davies 3 0-0 7, Stephanie Wolf 4 2-2 10, Nicole Dudas 2 0-0 6, Amanda Dice 2 0-0 4, Kristen Beatty 2 0-0 4, Becca Mapel 1 0-0 2, Rachel Divosevic 7 1-2 15, Maria Nolan 1 0-0 2, Bridget Rectenwald 1 0-0 2, Michelle Yakelis 0 0-0 0, Laura Seward 0 0-0 0, Sarah Haas 0 0-0 0. Totals: 26 3-4 60.

3-point goals:

King, Nocera, Baroffio, Ehrman; Dudas 2, Davies, Winland, Casey.

JV:

North Allegheny 43-29 (B-Kelley Crater 8 points; NA-Sarah Haas 10).

Friday:

Fox Chapel @ Butler