MOON TWP — For the most part, the Chartiers Valley girls basketball team was forced to play Mars' game.

But having not lost since Dec. 18, the Colts turned adversity into another victory.

After the Planets held them to 14 first-half points, the Colts' offense came alive to secure a 46-35 WPIAL Class AAA first-round playoff win at Moon High Wednesday night.

It was CV's 18th straight win.

The Colts held a 38-27 lead with 4:30 to play, but the Planets went on a 5-0 run with a basket from Corinne Gressang and a 3-pointer from Elaine Hasek to cut the team's deficit to six points.

But Mars got no closer down the stretch.

Mars guard Ashley Lynch missed the final six minutes with a right leg injury and the team hasn't had the services of junior forward Kelsey Pelles since early February.

Still, Planets coach Tony Howard was pleased with his team's effort.

"Our girls executed our game plan to a T," he said. "We were throwing different things at them defensively and (Chartiers Valley) figured some things out in the second half."

The Planets (13-11) had only eight points at the break, but Howard watched his offense keep pace with CV in the third quarter.

Hasek tallied seven of her team-high 16 points and Mars made six of its 10 field goal attempts in the period.

"We were tentative against their trap defense in the first half," said Howard. "It was just a matter of us becoming more aggressive."

But the Colts had an answer of their own in senior forward Erica Restich, who scored eight of her team-leading 15 points in the third to help CV hold a 30-23 edge with one quarter remaining.

Restich and senior guard Paige Aleski averaged about 12 points per game to pace the Colts during the season, but Aleski's lone two points in Wednesday's game came from the free throw line in the fourth quarter.

"With Paige not having her usual game and us still winning, I think it speaks to how much talent we have," said CV coach Spencer Stefko. "And the way Mars was defending her, wherever she moved on the floor, there was going to be an open space somewhere, and that opened things up for other girls."

The first two quarters were dominated by two struggling offenses as CV shot 21 percent from the field (6-of-28) and Mars was hampered by 11 turnovers.

The Colts (19-4) led 8-2 after one quarter.

Alexa Lee added 12 points for the Planets.

"I'm just so proud of our girls," said Howard. "With as hard as they've played, there was just nothing left in the tank."

Playing their final high school game were Mars seniors Ashley Lynch, Corinne Gressang and Elaine Hasek.

"With as much as we lost from last year's team, our seniors took on the leadership roles and really made the season for us," Howard said.

MARS 35Ashley Lynch 1 0-0 3, Meghan Kelly 1 0-0 2, Corinne Gressang 1 0-0 2, Elaine Hasek 7 2-3 16, Alexa Lee 4 3-4 12, Carly Clark 0 0-1 0, Lizz Tumminello 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 14 5-8 35.

CHARTIERS VALLEY 46Mariah Wells 3 1-3 7, Rebecca Braithwaite 0 2-2 2, Kayla Dames 1 0-0 3, Erica Restich 7 1-2 15, Alex Coyne 4 2-4 13, Paige Aleski 0 2-2 2, Alyssa Mazzarini 2 0-0 4, Kristina Coyne 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 17 8-13 46.

Mars 2 6 15 12—35Chartiers Valley 8 6 16 16—463-point goals: Mars 2 (Lynch, Lee); Chartiers Valley 4 (A. Coyne 3, Dames).