Milton Girls Basketball Defeats Norwood After Late-Game Rally

For the second game in a row the girls basketball team was playing from behind. Unlike Friday's loss to Brookline, Tuesday's home opener against Norwood was highlighted by a late comeback that marked the first win for the Wildcats' new head coach. The resilient Milton team took the lead late and emerged with a 41-38 victory.

"I'm just really proud of them," said coach Billy Donovan after his first win as the head man for the Wildcats.

After the loss to Brookline on Friday, Donovan said his team bounced back quickly and turned the early-season lesson into a victory.

Throughout the contest on Tuesday, Milton High trailed. At the end of the first quarter, Norwood led 11-6. Milton jumped back into the game to start the second quarter with a three-pointer from junior co-captain Katie Krauss and a bucket from senior Abby Macomber, which knotted the game at 11-11.

Macomber, one of the team's co-captains, has been playing off the bench to offset Milton's young and inexperienced squad. The strategy has worked thus far, as Macomber was a key performer against Norwood.

Norwood rallied behind senior captain Justine Ryan's six second-quarter points to take a 24-17 lead into the intermission.

Sophomore MaKenna Lane was also an offensive threat for the Mustangs throughout the game.

Donovan keyed in on this aspect of Norwood's game and applied pressure to the two shooters in the second half. "Our aggressive defense took them out of the game," said Donovan, who extended Lane and Ryan in the second half.

Coming into the fourth quarter, the Mustangs still held a five-point advantage at 28-33. 

With just two minutes remaining on their home floor, the Wildcats mounted their rally. Sophomore guard Nicole Regan hit two free throws to take the lead 37-36.

Regan was outstanding last night, knocking down 16 points, 14 of which came in the second half.

On the next Wildcat possession Regan was fouled hard again. She advanced the lead to 39-36, ending her night from the line at a perfect 6-6.

A wide-open look from Leah Murphy would eventually bring Norwood within one, but it wasn't enough.

Mustangs coach Brian Meringer said the toughest part for his young team was the lack of a spark coming off the bench. Despite several attempts to switch up the personnel, Meringer couldn't find the right combination to solidify the team's first win of the season.

"Our not boxing out and metal errors killed us," Meringer said.

Donovan was encouraged by the high-intensity victory.

"If we play with that kind of emotion and that kind of enthusiasm, we're going to be tough to beat," Donovan said.

The Wildcats will look to carry the momentum of an exciting home opener into Wednesday's showdown at Madison Park High School 6 p.m.