BUTLERTWP — Penns Manor coach Ken Holby knew what was coming.

His team just couldn't stop it.

"Union is known for its quick starts,"Holby said. "They jump on teams right away with big first quarters and just roll from there.

"Coming in here, we talked about that. It was critical for us to control the boards early, because no team can get out and run without the ball."

Better luck next time.

The Golden Damsels (28-1) took a 9-0 lead in the first two minutes and led 19-3 with 1:35 left in the opening quarter en route to a 62-49 PIAAClass Asecond-round girls basketball victory Wednesday night at Butler High School.

Union never trailed. Its biggest lead was 44-21 with 5:56 left in the third quarter.

The victory was the Damsels' 20th straight — but it wasn't good enough in coach Josh Meeker's eyes.

"I wasn't happy with the way we played in two of these quarters tonight,"Meeker said. "We got off to the start we wanted, but I don't think we finished it off.

"I did like our balanced scoring tonight. Andrea (Mortimer) and Beth (Koch) are going get their points every night. We have other girls who can put the ball in the basket."

Union wound up with a 44-33 advantage in rebounding, a margin that was much wider before Penns Manor (22-7) cut into it over the final 12 minutes.

The Comets outscored Union 30-24 in the second half after trailing 38-19 at intermission.

"That's one thing I feel pretty good about,"Holby said. "After that rough start, we were one of few teams to actually play with them the rest of the way.

"Union is very, very good. If they don't beat you with their speed, they beat you with their strength underneath the basket."

Mortimer and Tiffany Corle scored 14 points each for the Damsels, who tied the school record of 28 wins in a season set during the 1981-82 campaign.

Koch had 13 points and 15 rebounds to record her second straight double-double in state tournament play. Janele Divins scored nine points and Molly Scott contributed eight off the bench.

Corle admitted it was difficult to maintain intensity after the quick first-quarter start.

"We did our best to keep the pace up,"she said. "You start to feel a little tired. ... We just try to block it out and keep playing."

"At the pace we play, you do start to worry about their legs going on them,"Meeker said. "We're deep into the season and you only get a couple of days off before you face another quality opponent."

The Damsels face defending state champion Serra Catholic – a 64-51 winner over Farrell earlier here Wednesday night – in the Western semifinals Saturday.

Ashley Mattis paced Penns Manor with 12 points while Nicole Houser added 11 points and seven rebounds. Jessica Heidenthal contributed nine points and seven boards. The Comets suffered only nine turnovers.

"Their pressure didn't bother us. Their talent did,"Holby said. "I think that team will beat Serra Catholic."

Meeker is 101-16 in four years as Union's girls basketball coach.

PENNSMANOR49Nicole Houser 4-9 3-3 11, Erica Holby 2-14 0-0 6, Kimmy Shubra 1-3 0-2 2, Ashley Mattis 4-13 1-4 122, Courtney Fiechuk 0-0 0-0 0, Jackie Glunz 3-10 2-2 8, Katie Coughanour 0-0 0-0 0, Jessica Heidenthal 3-8 3-4 9, Tricia Whitesel 0-6 1-2 1. Totals: 17-63 10-15 49

UNION62Tiffany Corle 5-12 3-4 14, Andrea Mortimer 6-12 2-4 14, Janele Divins 4-9 0-0 9, Bethany Koch 6-8 1-2 13, Nikki Davis 1-1 2-2 4, Molly Scott 4-10 0-2 8, Meagan Booth 0-1 0-0 0, Mackenzie Shirey 0-3 0-0 0, Samantha Harmon 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 26-56 8-14 62

Penns Manor 7 12 17 13—49Union 21 17 15 9—623-point goals: Holby 2, Mattis 3; Corle, DivinsSaturday: Union vs. Serra Catholic, site, time TBA