BROOKVILLE — Coach Josh Meeker saw his Union girls basketball team take control in the first half of Tuesday's District 9 Class A semifinal against Elk County Catholic.

Wisely, he wasn't counting the Crusaders out just yet.

The Damsels used a 27-4 run in the first half to build a 19-point cushion, but the Crusaders answered by scoring 23 of the next 29 points to make it a two-point game with 2:54 left in the third quarter.

However, Union mounted a 13-4 run bridging the third and fourth quarters and went on to post the 57-42 victory at Brookville High School.

The Damsels (25-3) advance to the district championship game against Coudersport, a 60-54 winner over Clarion-Limestone, Saturday at Clarion University at a time to be determined.

"There's always a period where teams will make a run," said Meeker. "At this level, you're not going to bury a team. Sometimes you have to weather the storm."

Union had struggled out of the gate, turning the ball over on its first three possessions and getting only one shot in the first four as the Crusaders (21-6) had a modest 4-0 lead.

The Damsels then tallied the next 11 points, including four coming from Torri Smith, 21 of 23 and 27 of 31 points to storm to a 27-8 lead with 2:26 left before halftime.

ECC managed only four points over an 11:42 span, but it closed the half with an 8-0 run, the first five points coming on a basket and a 3-pointer by reserve guard Kaitlyn Geci.

Union started the second half with scores by Janele Divins and Tiffany Corle in the first 23 seconds to build a 31-16 lead, but a 12-0 spurt over a 3:15 span pulled the Crusaders to 31-28 with 4:03 left in the third period.

"There are times when another team will say, 'Listen, this is our season' and come out on fire," said Meeker. "I told the kids you have to weather the run.

"Sometimes you look up and you see you're up by 14, then it's just two and you get tight,"he added.

Danyelle Painter stopped the run with a basket, but ECC countered with a 3-pointer by Geci to make it 33-31.

Corle and Dominique DeFrain swapped treys to keep it a two-point game, but Corle scored two baskets in a seven-second span and Mackenzie Shirey added a pair of free throws to give the Damsels a 42-34 advantage.

ECCmade one final push when Laura Straub and Bre Grimon scored, the latter with 7:40 left in the game, but Union had a 3-pointer by Divins and baskets by Corle and Shirey to take a 49-38 lead with 5:44 left.

The Crusaders pulled no closer than nine points the rest of the way.

"I wouldn't say we ran out of gas, but Union takes care of the ball," said Crusaders coach Ken Pistner. "I take my hat off to coach Meeker and Union. Unfortunately, we didn't shoot the ball well."

Corle finished the game with 20 points — 14 coming in the second half — while Shirey added 14, Painter had eight and Shirey had seven.

Geci led ECC with 11 points and Grimon added 10.

Notes: Union has won 47 consecutive games against District 9 Class A opponents, dating back to the 2004 finals against Coudersport. ... Union is making its fourth consecutive trip to the district finals, winning the past two. ... Union sank 15 of 17 free throws while ECCwas 5-of-14.

ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 42Dominique DeFrain 1 0-0 3, Andie Beveridge 1 0-2 2, Emily Radkowski 3 0-0 6, Bre Grimon 5 0-0 10, Laken Lenox 2 3-5 7, Kirstie Pistner 0 0-0 0, Emily Detsch 0 1-2 1, Kaitlyn Geci 4 1-2 11, Laura Straub 1 0-3 2.

Totals: 17 5-14 42.

UNION 57Tiffany Corle 8 3-3 20, Torri Smith 2 2-2 6, Janele Divins 5 3-4 14, Mackenzie Shirey 1 5-6 7, Danyelle Painter 3 2-2 8, Meagan Booth 0 0-0 0, Alicia Anthony 1 0-0 2, Corri Seybert 0 0-0 0.

Totals:

Elk County Cath. 6 10 20 6—42Union 15 12 15 15—573-point goals: Geci 2, DeFrain; Corle, Divins

Saturday: District 9 Class A championship game: Union vs. Coudersport at Clarion University, time TBD