WEXFORD — Asked to describe the difference in his team's two-point loss to Butler Monday night, North Allegheny girls basketball coach Will Saunders' reply was short and to the point.

"Amy Achesinski happened," he said.

To be exact, Achesinski's 34-point performance happened, lifting Butler to a dramatic 58-56 double-overtime win on NA's home floor.

It was the senior forward's second-best single game performance. She dropped 35 points on Plum earlier this season.

In a game with as many ups and downs as an amusement-park ride, Achesinski was the stabilizing force for the Golden Tornado (12-2, 4-1).

Achesinski's conventional three-point play with 3:29 left in the second overtime — her fifth of the night — put Butler ahead for good at 55-52.

Her only points in the first overtime, a two-point basket with 1:18 remaining, gave Butler a 51-50 lead.

And there were the third and fourth quarters, when Achesinski scored a combined 21 points. NA managed 22 points as a team in that span.

"I've got enough experience to lead the team, and I know when to stay cool," she said. "We want to win the section and we know we have to keep winning for that to happen."

"I can't say enough about Amy," said Butler coach Dorothea Epps. "She's our best player and we expect a lot out of her. And she wants it that way."

At no point in the game was that more evident than in the third quarter.

Achesinski had scored seven points in the first half, all from the free throw line. The Tornado had been outscored 22-7 in the second quarter and trailed 25-15 at the break.

"I just told the kids that we had to chip away at their lead one possession at a time," said Epps.

Achesinski found her game in the third period, tallying four field goals and 10 points in the quarter.

"I just knew I had to step it up," Achesinski said. "I needed to just go at them."

Still, the Tornado trailed 38-28 early in the fourth quarter. But Achesinski responded with 11 points in the period and Maria Baroffio drained a big 3-pointer to bring Butler back.

The Tigers committed 14 turnovers in the final two quarters of regulation.

"I thought one of the keys was when Butler forced us into a turnover, they made the most of it," said Saunders. "They got the ball into Achesinski and made those turnovers count."

With less than five seconds to play in regulation and trailing Butler 47-44, the Tigers' prayers were answered when Sarah Haas drained a 3-pointer from the left corner as time expired, sending the game into overtime.

Butler's Olivia Bresnahan scored four points in the game, but three of them came on a field goal and a free throw in the first overtime.

Rachel Barry's free throw with 7.5 seconds left in the second overtime gave Butler a 58-56 lead.

NA's Kristen Beatty took the inbounds pass and drove the length of the floor only to watch her layup, which would have forced a third overtime, roll off the front of the rim.

"This one hurts," said Saunders. "For three and a half quarters, we felt we did everything we needed to do to win."

"I'm very proud of the way we came out and played tonight," said Epps. "We showed a lot of heart. I believe in these girls."

Jackie Lang led the Tigers (7-6, 2-3) with 20 points.

BUTLER 58Rachel Barry 1 1-2 3, Olivia Bresnahan 1 2-4 4, Amy Achesinski 9 16-22 34, Maria Baroffio 3 2-6 9, Karissa King 2 0-0 6, Erica Miller 0 2-3 2, Liz Schultz 0 0-0 0, Kayla Gilliland 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 16 23-37 58.

NORTH ALLEGHENY 56Julie Figan 1 1-1 3, Sarah Haas 3 0-0 9, Maria Nolan 4 0-0 8, Kristen Beatty 4 0-0 8, Jackie Lang 6 8-10 20, Tina Kachulis 1 0-0 3, Dawn Murphy 0 2-2 2, Ginny Thistle 1 1-4 3, Marissa Posteraro 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 20 12-17 56.

Butler 8 7 13 19 5 6—58North Allegheny 3 22 10 12 5 4—563-point goals: Butler 3 (King 2, Baroffio); North Allegheny 4 (Haas 3, Kachulis)

JV: Butler 30-29

Friday: New Castle at Butler