WEST VIEW — Midway through the third quarter, the rhythmic screech of a fire alarm halted play at North Hills High School Monday night.

It certainly didn't go off because of sizzling nets.

Both the Butler and North Hills girls basketball teams struggled mightily when it came to shooting, but Butler survived a post-fire-alarm rally by the Indians to pull out a 36-32 win.

The Golden Tornado led 26-13 before the alarm halted play for nearly 15 minutes. After that, North Hills outscored Butler 23-10 in the final 12 minutes of the contest.

"If there would have been three more minutes left in the game, who knows?" said North Hills coach George Vlassich. "Two more minutes? Who knows?"

All Butler coach Dorothea Epps knows is she's happy to get out of North Hills with a win and with an unblemished section record intact.

It certainly wasn't they way Butler (11-2, 4-0) wanted things to go.

"We just seemed to not be focused tonight," Epps said. "We'll take the 'W'. Am I happy? No. But we'll take the win."

Amy Achesinski scored 22 of Butler's 36 points on 8-of-13 shooting. She was also 6-of-7 from the free throw line.

The rest of the Golden Tornado shot 6-of-36 from the field and 0-for-11 from the line.

After every miss, Epps shook her head on the Butler bench.

"That's just lack of focus," she said. "We were horrible at the line. Just horrible. There's no excuse for it.

"We're going to have to finish out things and beat the teams we are supposed to beat. That's what we are going to have to do. North Hills played hard."

Butler's defense was at its usual best in the first half, limiting North Hills (2-13, 0-6) to just nine points. The Indians had just five points and trailed by nine with three minutes remaining in the first half.

Bethany Alabek had a rough night for North Hills, hitting only one of her 14 shots from the field for two points.

North Hills shot just 32 percent from the field in the game — and still shot better than Butler.

Despite her struggles Monday, Alabek has been a bright spot for the Indians this season.

"She does it all for us," Vlassich said. "She played point guard for half the night tonight."

Freshman Gabrielle Marshall paced North Hills with 11 points. Katie Mankerovic added seven more for the Indians.

Other than Achesinski, no Butler player scored more than three points.

Epps had a premonition before the game that her team might struggle. The Golden Tornado had an off day on Sunday and it appeared to affect them.

"I hate to say it — that day off — I was afraid of this. Plus the girls come in here and they know (North Hills) hasn't won a (section) game," Epps said. "I tried to emphasize to them you are going to their floor and it doesn't matter what their record is, they are coming out here and they are going to play hard against you.

Perhaps the best thing for the Tornado is they have a makeup game against Pine-Richland at home tonight.

Epps is eager to get her team back out on the floor.

"All is not lost," Epps said. "We're going to rebound tomorrow. I think it will work for us. It is tough to go back to back, but now the girls feel a little urgency and want to get back out there."

BUTLER 36

Rachel Berry 0-5 0-0 0, Ashley Nocera 1-5 0-0 3, Amy Achesinski 8-13 6-7 22, Maria Barafio 0-7 0-5 0, Samantha Karns 1-2 0-2 2, Lyndsy Day 1-5 0-3 2, Julie Ehrman 1-8 0-1 3, Elizabeth Schultz 0-0 0-0 0, Abby Herrit 1-2 0-0 2, Michelle Ritchey 1-2 0-0 2, Kelley Crater 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 14-49 6-18 36

NORTH HILLS 32

Alison Wahl 1-3 0-0 3, Gabrielle Marshall 5-9 1-2 11, Bethany Alabek 1-14 0-0 2, Brittney Fries 0-1 0-0 0, Katue Manjerovic 3-9 1-2 7, Kelley Brennan 1-3 0-0 2, Erica Sllagel 2-3 0-0 4, Emily Ridago 1-1 0-0 2, Christine Harding 0-1 0-0 0, Julie Havrilla 0-0 1-2 0. Totals: 14-44 3-6 32

3-point goals:

Nocera, Ehrman, Wahl

JV:

Butler 34-23 (Karrisa King 13)

Tonight:

Pine-Richland at Butler