BUTLER TWP — Olivia Bresnahan wasn't going to be stopped.

And neither was the Butler girls basketball team.

After a sluggish start, particularly on the defensive end of the floor, Butler launched a shock and awe campaign against Pine-Richland.

And Bresnahan was the weapon of mass destruction.

The Butler junior scored seven of her 17 points and handed out five of her eight assists in the early part of the third quarter as the Golden Tornado turned a slim six-point lead into an 18-point one on the way to a 68-40 win Thursday night.

"(Bresnahan is) legit. She's as legit as they come," said Pine-Richland coach Joe Frank. "I think she was getting a little frustrated in the first half, but, where a lot of kids would back down, her competitive spirit took over. She just keeps coming and coming."

Bresnahan's crisp passes set upCasie Cygan on the perimeter and under the hoop. Cygan finished with a game-high 23 points — including four 3-pointers.

The difference for Butler, though, between the first half and the second half was defense.

The Tornado (15-1, 9-0) clamped down defensively, limiting Pine-Richland (5-11, 3-5) to just 14 second-half points. The Rams shot a mere 32 percent in the final two quarters.

"Our offense was fine. It was our defense where the problem was in the first half," said Butler coach Dorothea Epps. "We gave up 26 points and we're not used to that.

"Going into halftime I talked to them very nicely about how we needed to pick up our defense if we wanted to pull out this game."

Mission accomplished.

Katresa Savisky didn't take a shot from the floor, but she was just as valuable as Bresnahan.

Her defense on Rams' point guard Emily Richert was stifling.

Richert has just two points in the second half.

"I know people like to see the points flying up there on the scoreboard, but defense is were it happens," Epps said. "We had a hard time guarding Richert (in the first half) and Katresa came in and did a really nice job on her."

Pine-Richland was determined to put a scare into the Tornado.

The Rams attacked the basket with Richert early and managed to lead 14-13 at the end of the first quarter.

But Butler took a 22-20 lead with five minutes remaining in the second quarter and never trailed again.

The Golden Tornado started the second half on an 11-2 run, keyed by Bresnahan's frenetic play on both ends of the floor.

"Liv wasn't happy with the way the first half went," Epps said. "Not just her, but all the girls, they usually step up to the challenge. We challenge all these girls because that's what it's going to take to get a section championship and get to the playoffs."

Butler also is handling the challenge of facing section foes for the second time while playing with a target squarely on its back.

The Golden Tornado have one loss this season and it didn't even come against a team in the state.

Paul VI from Virginia is the only team to topple the Tornado, 57-54, during a holiday tournament in Maryland.

"Teams are coming out and trying to jump on us because we do have the X on our backs," Epps said. "These girls understand that and they don't panic. They keep their composure.Even at halftime, they felt they were going to win the game. They feel like they can win every game. You have to have that."

PINE-RICHLAND 40Katie Wise 5-12 2-3 12, Vicky Pikur 2-4 1-1 5, Lisa Rader 3-5 0-2 6, Emily Richert 5-15 1-2 11, Carolyn Steger 1-3 0-0 2, Abbie Altman 0-1 2-2 2, Kayleigh Jackson 0-1 0-1 0, Kelly Keenan 1-1 0-0 2, Kathleen Humes 0-0 0-0 0, Kara Peters 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 17-43 6-11 40

BUTLER 68Olivia Bresnahan 6-9 5-8 17, Casie Cygan 9-16 0-0 23, Amanda Dymun 2-5 0-0 4, Jenna Manuel 5-10 2-2 13, Katresa Savisky 0-0 0-0 0, Ali Sedwick 1-1 0-0 3, Casey Fleeger 1-1 0-0 3, EmilyWise 1-1 0-0 3, Rachel Doutt 1-3 0-0 2. Totals: 26-44 7-10 68

Pine-Richland 14 12 4 10—40Butler 13 19 16 20—683-point goals: Cygan 5, Manuel, Sedwick, Fleeger, Wise

JV: Butler 43-36

Monday: Butler at North Allegheny