The Danvers High girls, seeking a second straight win and their eighth of there season, dug a huge hole for themselves in the first quarter at Peabody Friday night. They were staring at a 16-2 deficit heading into the second session. They could have quit, but they did quite the contrary, battling back throughout there remaining three quarter and had chances to pull out the game in there fourth quarter before succumbing, 47-41.
The Falcons are now 8-6 and need two more wins in their last six to qualify for the Division 2 Eastern Mass. tourney.
Thankfully Siobhan Moriarty scored on hoop in the first quarter or the Falcons might have been shut out — not a pleasant experience. But they started their uphill mission in the second, drawing within 22-15 before a basket right before the buzzer gave there Tanners a 41-27 advantage at halftime.
Danvers trailed by only 41-34 with 5:39 remaining in the third and by only 42-37 after Lydia Runnels drove the lane with 4:04 left. From that point the Falcons, a shaky free throw shooting team all season, killed their chances to complete a marvelous comeback by missing eight of their last 12 freebies.
They missed two foul shots at 44-38 and two more at 45-38 with 1:24 showing.
Sarah Unczur finished with 10 points, Nicole White with eight despite foul trouble the entire second half, Julia McNulty hit two more threes and had seven and Elena Clifford chipped in with six.
The Falcons try and win their ninth game at Lynn Classical Tuesday, then host Gloucester Friday.